Student lettings across the UK soared this January, according to one lettings agency – StudentTenant.com.

The firm saw student property searches increase by 75% in January compared to December, and property requests rise five-fold. The business also saw strong growth in property uploads, student property viewings and property bookings.

The letting agent said the strong figures reinforce the trend of students booking property almost nine months before they move in.

Danielle Cullen, managing director at StudentTenant.com, said: “Our team have been working extremely hard to keep up with the surge in demand. Figures reveal that January is the busiest time of year for students searching for properties, so it’s extremely important for us to get landlords on our site before demand peaks.

“The trend to book property so early is a long standing tradition in a lot of UK cities, which can be both positive and negative for students. Booking somewhere with a group of people so far in advance means a lot can change in terms of both relationships and financial stability, so we always encourage students to make an informed decision before they secure somewhere.”