Based on your financial expertise, provide your response or viewpoint on the given financial question or topic. The response format is open.

What can cause rent prices to fall?
The buy-to-rent investment bubble created (in some markets) a large number of new housing starts often exceeding the available demand.  Since people were investing in the capital gain, they didn't mind whether a place was rented or not.  Many places stood empty at the prices investors wished to charge. In the UK where building restrictions are so dire that few new houses can be built, new house production is less than market demand which keeps up rental prices.  There just isn't any stock. In the US, where construction is more liberal, rental prices can fall as new stock enters the market.  A driver will be where the sales market dries up and owners must rent to cover at least some of their mortgage losses. Or, as Joel points out, if a major employer which dominates a small town, leaves.  Many old industrial towns feature both low rentals and plenty of empty, low-priced property.  Liverpool, in the UK, features entire empty neighbourhoods all boarded up. If you're looking to track metrics on this simply look at migration patterns.  Where large numbers of people are moving "towards" prices (and rentals) will rise.  Where people are moving "away" all prices fall.