The E14 postcode area, which is home to Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs, is the capital’s most searched for rental location, according to research by property portal Zoopla.

The area, also known as the Docklands, is home to some of the UK’s biggest financial institutions, as well as the iconic Billingsgate Market and a wide range of restaurants, pubs, bars and shops.

Zoopla examined property search data from the past year to reveal the most desirable areas for a rental home in London.

The ‘W2’ postcode area, which covers Paddington and Bayswater, was ranked the second most searched for location for a rental home in the capital, while SE1 – the postcode area including the South Bank, Bankside, Bermondsey and Waterloo – took third spot.

Battersea, which has become a hotspot for Build to Rent homes in the last three years and is increasingly popular among young professionals, only just made the hotspot list, featuring as the 10th most requested London location for a rental home.

Zoopla also divided the most popular rental searches by property type and number of bedrooms – with E14 once again topping the list for tenants seeking a one or two bedroom apartment in London.  When it comes to larger properties to rent, though, Londoners tend to show a strong preference for the capital’s outer zones, with eight of the ten most popular areas for searches on three and four bedroom houses situated in the South West and North West of London.

“It’s perhaps no surprise that Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs has been highlighted as a popular choice for London renters,” Annabel Dixon, spokesperson for Zoopla, said.

“This area has long been associated with gleaming office towers, but it is now buzzing with new restaurants, bars, shops and homes, transforming it into a sought-after destination to live as well as work.”

She said that renters searching for larger family homes in London showed a clear preference for the suburbs, with Colindale, Hendon and Kingsbury the most searched locations for three and four bedroom houses. “These areas are ideal for young families looking for space to grow, with leafy surroundings and several well-regarded schools nearby,” Dixon added.