UK Rental Market: Rents, Size and Regional Trends
The UK rental market is large, but two familiar claims need correcting. It is not true that a third of households rent privately, and the sector has not tripled in size. The 2024-25 English Housing Survey estimates that 4.7 million households in England privately rent, equal to 19% of all households. The sector has doubled since the early 2000s, while its share has stayed close to 19% or 20% since 2013-14.
Rents are still rising, although more slowly than during the 2024 peak. The Office for National Statistics release published in September 2026, covering August, put the average UK monthly private rent at £1,400, up 3.8% over 12 months. That measure covers the whole privately rented stock, including existing and new tenancies, rather than only homes newly advertised to let.
Article updated: September 2026
UK Rental Market Statistics
The national averages are not one market moving at one speed. Wales recorded the fastest annual growth among the four nations in the ONS private-rent release for August 2026, while England remained the most expensive on average.
| Nation | Average monthly rent | Annual change | Reference month |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | £1,459 | 4.0% | August 2026 |
| Wales | £846 | 4.3% | August 2026 |
| Scotland | £1,013 | 1.1% | August 2026 |
| Northern Ireland | £874 | 1.6% | June 2026 |
The UK figures for July and August 2026 are provisional. ONS rents are rounded to the nearest pound and are not seasonally adjusted. Northern Ireland data run two months behind and cover advertised new lets. The ONS also advises caution when comparing Scotland and Northern Ireland with England and Wales because the underlying collection methods differ.
UK Rental Market Trends Since 2015
Looking at one month alone hides the longer rental market trend. The ONS series starts in January 2015, when the UK average was £910 a month and English regional averages ranged from £533 in the North East to £1,580 in London. By August 2026, the UK average was £1,400 and the regional range was £788 to £2,332.
- United Kingdom
- North East
- North West
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- East Midlands
- West Midlands
- East of England
- London
- South East
- South West
Source: Office for National Statistics Price Index of Private Rents
| Month | United Kingdom | North East | North West | Yorkshire and The Humber | East Midlands | West Midlands | East of England | London | South East | South West |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-01 | £910 | £533 | £594 | £586 | £566 | £615 | £800 | £1,580 | £932 | £778 |
| 2015-02 | £912 | £533 | £595 | £585 | £567 | £617 | £805 | £1,583 | £932 | £779 |
| 2015-03 | £915 | £533 | £596 | £586 | £568 | £619 | £808 | £1,590 | £935 | £781 |
| 2015-04 | £918 | £534 | £597 | £586 | £568 | £620 | £811 | £1,602 | £938 | £783 |
| 2015-05 | £922 | £534 | £597 | £585 | £569 | £622 | £814 | £1,616 | £939 | £785 |
| 2015-06 | £924 | £534 | £597 | £583 | £570 | £623 | £817 | £1,620 | £942 | £785 |
| 2015-07 | £926 | £534 | £598 | £584 | £572 | £624 | £820 | £1,624 | £944 | £787 |
| 2015-08 | £930 | £535 | £599 | £585 | £573 | £625 | £824 | £1,634 | £947 | £790 |
| 2015-09 | £933 | £535 | £600 | £587 | £575 | £627 | £827 | £1,643 | £951 | £792 |
| 2015-10 | £935 | £536 | £601 | £586 | £576 | £628 | £832 | £1,644 | £953 | £793 |
| 2015-11 | £936 | £537 | £603 | £587 | £576 | £629 | £835 | £1,644 | £958 | £796 |
| 2015-12 | £939 | £537 | £603 | £587 | £576 | £633 | £839 | £1,648 | £961 | £798 |
| 2016-01 | £941 | £537 | £603 | £586 | £578 | £634 | £842 | £1,654 | £964 | £799 |
| 2016-02 | £942 | £538 | £605 | £585 | £578 | £636 | £846 | £1,655 | £968 | £802 |
| 2016-03 | £946 | £539 | £606 | £587 | £579 | £638 | £851 | £1,664 | £971 | £805 |
| 2016-04 | £949 | £539 | £607 | £588 | £580 | £639 | £855 | £1,666 | £977 | £808 |
| 2016-05 | £952 | £540 | £608 | £590 | £582 | £640 | £858 | £1,674 | £979 | £811 |
| 2016-06 | £954 | £541 | £610 | £591 | £583 | £641 | £862 | £1,679 | £983 | £815 |
| 2016-07 | £958 | £544 | £611 | £591 | £586 | £642 | £865 | £1,687 | £988 | £818 |
| 2016-08 | £961 | £545 | £612 | £593 | £588 | £645 | £869 | £1,691 | £992 | £820 |
| 2016-09 | £963 | £547 | £613 | £594 | £589 | £647 | £873 | £1,695 | £997 | £822 |
| 2016-10 | £966 | £548 | £614 | £595 | £591 | £650 | £877 | £1,696 | £1,000 | £827 |
| 2016-11 | £968 | £550 | £615 | £596 | £593 | £651 | £880 | £1,700 | £1,004 | £831 |
| 2016-12 | £970 | £551 | £616 | £598 | £595 | £653 | £882 | £1,702 | £1,007 | £835 |
| 2017-01 | £972 | £551 | £617 | £599 | £597 | £654 | £887 | £1,705 | £1,009 | £836 |
| 2017-02 | £973 | £553 | £619 | £600 | £599 | £654 | £889 | £1,702 | £1,011 | £837 |
| 2017-03 | £975 | £553 | £621 | £602 | £600 | £655 | £892 | £1,704 | £1,014 | £839 |
| 2017-04 | £977 | £553 | £622 | £605 | £602 | £657 | £895 | £1,706 | £1,017 | £840 |
| 2017-05 | £977 | £554 | £623 | £605 | £603 | £658 | £896 | £1,701 | £1,017 | £841 |
| 2017-06 | £979 | £554 | £624 | £605 | £604 | £661 | £898 | £1,705 | £1,018 | £843 |
| 2017-07 | £982 | £554 | £625 | £606 | £606 | £664 | £901 | £1,711 | £1,021 | £846 |
| 2017-08 | £982 | £554 | £627 | £608 | £608 | £666 | £902 | £1,706 | £1,022 | £849 |
| 2017-09 | £982 | £554 | £628 | £608 | £609 | £667 | £905 | £1,698 | £1,024 | £851 |
| 2017-10 | £983 | £554 | £630 | £609 | £611 | £667 | £907 | £1,700 | £1,024 | £852 |
| 2017-11 | £984 | £554 | £633 | £610 | £614 | £668 | £908 | £1,699 | £1,025 | £854 |
| 2017-12 | £985 | £554 | £635 | £611 | £616 | £669 | £910 | £1,697 | £1,026 | £857 |
| 2018-01 | £984 | £553 | £635 | £612 | £616 | £670 | £911 | £1,689 | £1,027 | £857 |
| 2018-02 | £986 | £554 | £636 | £611 | £618 | £672 | £913 | £1,694 | £1,028 | £858 |
| 2018-03 | £984 | £554 | £636 | £612 | £619 | £673 | £914 | £1,683 | £1,030 | £858 |
| 2018-04 | £984 | £553 | £638 | £614 | £620 | £675 | £916 | £1,678 | £1,030 | £860 |
| 2018-05 | £985 | £553 | £638 | £614 | £622 | £676 | £916 | £1,675 | £1,031 | £861 |
| 2018-06 | £985 | £555 | £639 | £614 | £624 | £676 | £917 | £1,676 | £1,031 | £862 |
| 2018-07 | £987 | £554 | £640 | £615 | £626 | £678 | £918 | £1,680 | £1,034 | £863 |
| 2018-08 | £989 | £555 | £641 | £615 | £628 | £678 | £920 | £1,683 | £1,035 | £865 |
| 2018-09 | £990 | £556 | £642 | £617 | £635 | £680 | £922 | £1,681 | £1,037 | £866 |
| 2018-10 | £993 | £557 | £643 | £617 | £638 | £683 | £923 | £1,686 | £1,038 | £868 |
| 2018-11 | £995 | £557 | £644 | £619 | £643 | £684 | £925 | £1,691 | £1,040 | £870 |
| 2018-12 | £997 | £557 | £644 | £619 | £642 | £685 | £925 | £1,696 | £1,043 | £872 |
| 2019-01 | £997 | £557 | £644 | £621 | £645 | £686 | £927 | £1,695 | £1,044 | £872 |
| 2019-02 | £999 | £556 | £643 | £622 | £645 | £687 | £930 | £1,701 | £1,045 | £874 |
| 2019-03 | £1,000 | £557 | £644 | £622 | £646 | £687 | £930 | £1,700 | £1,046 | £875 |
| 2019-04 | £1,000 | £557 | £646 | £624 | £647 | £688 | £931 | £1,698 | £1,047 | £876 |
| 2019-05 | £1,005 | £558 | £647 | £624 | £648 | £689 | £933 | £1,714 | £1,049 | £879 |
| 2019-06 | £1,005 | £559 | £647 | £625 | £649 | £688 | £934 | £1,712 | £1,050 | £879 |
| 2019-07 | £1,006 | £560 | £648 | £626 | £650 | £689 | £936 | £1,712 | £1,053 | £880 |
| 2019-08 | £1,009 | £559 | £650 | £628 | £651 | £691 | £938 | £1,716 | £1,056 | £881 |
| 2019-09 | £1,012 | £559 | £651 | £631 | £653 | £694 | £940 | £1,723 | £1,057 | £884 |
| 2019-10 | £1,014 | £561 | £652 | £632 | £656 | £697 | £941 | £1,728 | £1,058 | £885 |
| 2019-11 | £1,016 | £562 | £652 | £635 | £657 | £697 | £942 | £1,733 | £1,058 | £888 |
| 2019-12 | £1,018 | £562 | £653 | £637 | £656 | £698 | £942 | £1,737 | £1,059 | £889 |
| 2020-01 | £1,019 | £563 | £655 | £637 | £656 | £699 | £944 | £1,738 | £1,061 | £892 |
| 2020-02 | £1,021 | £563 | £655 | £638 | £658 | £700 | £946 | £1,744 | £1,062 | £893 |
| 2020-03 | £1,022 | £563 | £656 | £638 | £658 | £701 | £946 | £1,748 | £1,062 | £894 |
| 2020-04 | £1,022 | £563 | £658 | £639 | £660 | £701 | £946 | £1,741 | £1,063 | £894 |
| 2020-05 | £1,023 | £563 | £660 | £640 | £661 | £704 | £947 | £1,742 | £1,064 | £896 |
| 2020-06 | £1,024 | £565 | £660 | £641 | £661 | £705 | £947 | £1,741 | £1,065 | £897 |
| 2020-07 | £1,025 | £565 | £661 | £643 | £662 | £706 | £946 | £1,745 | £1,066 | £899 |
| 2020-08 | £1,026 | £566 | £664 | £643 | £663 | £709 | £948 | £1,744 | £1,063 | £902 |
| 2020-09 | £1,027 | £568 | £665 | £645 | £665 | £710 | £949 | £1,745 | £1,065 | £904 |
| 2020-10 | £1,029 | £571 | £666 | £646 | £667 | £712 | £951 | £1,745 | £1,067 | £908 |
| 2020-11 | £1,029 | £573 | £667 | £645 | £668 | £711 | £951 | £1,742 | £1,068 | £911 |
| 2020-12 | £1,030 | £574 | £669 | £646 | £670 | £709 | £954 | £1,737 | £1,070 | £914 |
| 2021-01 | £1,030 | £575 | £672 | £646 | £671 | £713 | £957 | £1,735 | £1,072 | £913 |
| 2021-02 | £1,032 | £576 | £672 | £648 | £673 | £713 | £964 | £1,735 | £1,073 | £918 |
| 2021-03 | £1,034 | £576 | £673 | £650 | £675 | £716 | £967 | £1,731 | £1,076 | £924 |
| 2021-04 | £1,033 | £577 | £675 | £651 | £677 | £720 | £970 | £1,721 | £1,076 | £927 |
| 2021-05 | £1,034 | £578 | £677 | £654 | £681 | £724 | £973 | £1,712 | £1,078 | £929 |
| 2021-06 | £1,036 | £580 | £679 | £655 | £681 | £726 | £977 | £1,713 | £1,081 | £932 |
| 2021-07 | £1,037 | £581 | £681 | £658 | £683 | £730 | £980 | £1,706 | £1,084 | £936 |
| 2021-08 | £1,039 | £582 | £684 | £661 | £686 | £732 | £984 | £1,706 | £1,088 | £941 |
| 2021-09 | £1,042 | £585 | £687 | £663 | £688 | £734 | £987 | £1,709 | £1,091 | £945 |
| 2021-10 | £1,046 | £586 | £690 | £666 | £690 | £735 | £992 | £1,713 | £1,097 | £950 |
| 2021-11 | £1,049 | £587 | £692 | £668 | £693 | £738 | £996 | £1,716 | £1,101 | £953 |
| 2021-12 | £1,055 | £589 | £697 | £672 | £697 | £742 | £1,000 | £1,724 | £1,105 | £959 |
| 2022-01 | £1,059 | £586 | £700 | £677 | £699 | £745 | £1,004 | £1,728 | £1,110 | £964 |
| 2022-02 | £1,063 | £588 | £703 | £680 | £703 | £749 | £1,007 | £1,735 | £1,114 | £969 |
| 2022-03 | £1,066 | £593 | £706 | £683 | £707 | £746 | £1,011 | £1,739 | £1,118 | £972 |
| 2022-04 | £1,071 | £595 | £709 | £686 | £710 | £749 | £1,014 | £1,746 | £1,124 | £975 |
| 2022-05 | £1,075 | £598 | £714 | £689 | £712 | £751 | £1,018 | £1,750 | £1,126 | £982 |
| 2022-06 | £1,079 | £600 | £717 | £691 | £715 | £757 | £1,022 | £1,754 | £1,132 | £985 |
| 2022-07 | £1,084 | £603 | £722 | £694 | £717 | £760 | £1,026 | £1,763 | £1,137 | £988 |
| 2022-08 | £1,089 | £604 | £727 | £697 | £721 | £763 | £1,028 | £1,773 | £1,142 | £995 |
| 2022-09 | £1,096 | £607 | £731 | £702 | £725 | £765 | £1,031 | £1,785 | £1,146 | £1,002 |
| 2022-10 | £1,100 | £611 | £735 | £705 | £729 | £768 | £1,034 | £1,791 | £1,151 | £1,007 |
| 2022-11 | £1,107 | £612 | £740 | £707 | £736 | £771 | £1,038 | £1,806 | £1,157 | £1,010 |
| 2022-12 | £1,114 | £616 | £744 | £711 | £738 | £775 | £1,043 | £1,818 | £1,163 | £1,016 |
| 2023-01 | £1,120 | £619 | £747 | £715 | £740 | £778 | £1,048 | £1,830 | £1,169 | £1,024 |
| 2023-02 | £1,126 | £622 | £751 | £719 | £741 | £781 | £1,052 | £1,841 | £1,177 | £1,029 |
| 2023-03 | £1,133 | £624 | £756 | £724 | £745 | £787 | £1,058 | £1,850 | £1,183 | £1,036 |
| 2023-04 | £1,142 | £629 | £762 | £730 | £748 | £794 | £1,062 | £1,870 | £1,190 | £1,039 |
| 2023-05 | £1,152 | £629 | £766 | £734 | £753 | £803 | £1,067 | £1,896 | £1,196 | £1,045 |
| 2023-06 | £1,161 | £631 | £772 | £737 | £757 | £808 | £1,072 | £1,915 | £1,204 | £1,052 |
| 2023-07 | £1,169 | £637 | £777 | £742 | £761 | £811 | £1,079 | £1,930 | £1,214 | £1,057 |
| 2023-08 | £1,177 | £639 | £783 | £747 | £766 | £817 | £1,085 | £1,945 | £1,221 | £1,065 |
| 2023-09 | £1,185 | £641 | £788 | £751 | £772 | £823 | £1,091 | £1,957 | £1,229 | £1,072 |
| 2023-10 | £1,193 | £645 | £793 | £757 | £778 | £829 | £1,098 | £1,971 | £1,236 | £1,079 |
| 2023-11 | £1,200 | £647 | £797 | £762 | £787 | £833 | £1,104 | £1,982 | £1,245 | £1,083 |
| 2023-12 | £1,207 | £649 | £805 | £765 | £791 | £837 | £1,110 | £1,994 | £1,254 | £1,088 |
| 2024-01 | £1,216 | £653 | £809 | £769 | £795 | £848 | £1,116 | £2,009 | £1,264 | £1,095 |
| 2024-02 | £1,227 | £658 | £817 | £775 | £801 | £853 | £1,126 | £2,034 | £1,272 | £1,102 |
| 2024-03 | £1,236 | £663 | £822 | £780 | £806 | £860 | £1,130 | £2,056 | £1,279 | £1,108 |
| 2024-04 | £1,243 | £666 | £829 | £785 | £812 | £862 | £1,136 | £2,071 | £1,285 | £1,114 |
| 2024-05 | £1,252 | £668 | £835 | £790 | £818 | £868 | £1,142 | £2,088 | £1,292 | £1,120 |
| 2024-06 | £1,260 | £669 | £844 | £794 | £827 | £876 | £1,149 | £2,100 | £1,301 | £1,127 |
| 2024-07 | £1,268 | £676 | £851 | £794 | £832 | £884 | £1,158 | £2,116 | £1,307 | £1,133 |
| 2024-08 | £1,275 | £682 | £855 | £798 | £837 | £892 | £1,167 | £2,130 | £1,314 | £1,133 |
| 2024-09 | £1,284 | £687 | £862 | £798 | £840 | £896 | £1,177 | £2,147 | £1,324 | £1,140 |
| 2024-10 | £1,295 | £694 | £870 | £802 | £849 | £901 | £1,185 | £2,172 | £1,335 | £1,146 |
| 2024-11 | £1,308 | £700 | £878 | £805 | £853 | £905 | £1,196 | £2,209 | £1,345 | £1,153 |
| 2024-12 | £1,316 | £706 | £883 | £806 | £856 | £910 | £1,203 | £2,221 | £1,351 | £1,161 |
| 2025-01 | £1,321 | £710 | £888 | £809 | £861 | £912 | £1,209 | £2,229 | £1,356 | £1,167 |
| 2025-02 | £1,327 | £715 | £893 | £813 | £868 | £917 | £1,217 | £2,235 | £1,362 | £1,167 |
| 2025-03 | £1,332 | £725 | £896 | £816 | £873 | £920 | £1,223 | £2,243 | £1,368 | £1,168 |
| 2025-04 | £1,335 | £728 | £899 | £816 | £877 | £923 | £1,228 | £2,246 | £1,373 | £1,171 |
| 2025-05 | £1,339 | £733 | £905 | £819 | £881 | £927 | £1,236 | £2,249 | £1,377 | £1,175 |
| 2025-06 | £1,344 | £734 | £911 | £822 | £885 | £931 | £1,240 | £2,252 | £1,384 | £1,181 |
| 2025-07 | £1,343 | £736 | £912 | £822 | £886 | £932 | £1,239 | £2,250 | £1,379 | £1,184 |
| 2025-08 | £1,348 | £745 | £916 | £825 | £889 | £935 | £1,245 | £2,253 | £1,384 | £1,192 |
| 2025-09 | £1,354 | £750 | £923 | £829 | £894 | £942 | £1,251 | £2,260 | £1,390 | £1,200 |
| 2025-10 | £1,360 | £756 | £927 | £833 | £897 | £948 | £1,255 | £2,265 | £1,393 | £1,214 |
| 2025-11 | £1,366 | £759 | £933 | £838 | £901 | £955 | £1,261 | £2,271 | £1,399 | £1,220 |
| 2025-12 | £1,367 | £762 | £937 | £841 | £901 | £957 | £1,266 | £2,268 | £1,402 | £1,221 |
| 2026-01 | £1,367 | £767 | £941 | £843 | £906 | £962 | £1,268 | £2,253 | £1,405 | £1,224 |
| 2026-02 | £1,374 | £770 | £944 | £848 | £909 | £962 | £1,269 | £2,273 | £1,409 | £1,227 |
| 2026-03 | £1,377 | £772 | £947 | £852 | £910 | £964 | £1,274 | £2,280 | £1,411 | £1,227 |
| 2026-04 | £1,381 | £776 | £951 | £855 | £911 | £964 | £1,278 | £2,290 | £1,414 | £1,231 |
| 2026-05 | £1,383 | £776 | £954 | £856 | £914 | £966 | £1,280 | £2,294 | £1,418 | £1,234 |
| 2026-06 | £1,388 | £781 | £961 | £862 | £918 | £971 | £1,281 | £2,302 | £1,415 | £1,237 |
| 2026-07 | £1,393 | £783 | £965 | £864 | £918 | £974 | £1,285 | £2,317 | £1,419 | £1,236 |
| 2026-08 | £1,400 | £788 | £969 | £865 | £922 | £982 | £1,289 | £2,332 | £1,426 | £1,245 |
Average rents were higher in every English region than in January 2015. London and Yorkshire and The Humber had the smallest rise, both at 47.6%, while the North West had the largest at 63.1%.
| Region | Jan 2015 | Aug 2026 | Nominal change | Annual change to Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | £533 | £788 | 47.8% | 5.8% |
| North West | £594 | £969 | 63.1% | 5.8% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £586 | £865 | 47.6% | 4.9% |
| East Midlands | £566 | £922 | 62.9% | 3.7% |
| West Midlands | £615 | £982 | 59.7% | 4.9% |
| East of England | £800 | £1,289 | 61.1% | 3.5% |
| London | £1,580 | £2,332 | 47.6% | 3.5% |
| South East | £932 | £1,426 | 53.0% | 3.0% |
| South West | £778 | £1,245 | 60.0% | 4.4% |
Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0.
Over the year to August 2026, the North East and North West had the largest rise among the English regions, both at 5.8%, while the South East had the smallest at 3.0%. The 2015-to-2026 figures compare ONS rents rounded to the nearest pound. They show cash increases before inflation, not rental yields or investment returns.
Average Rents in the UK
The biggest gaps in rent are between places. In August 2026, London had the highest average rent among the English regions at £2,332 a month. The North East was lowest at £788. At local level, Kensington and Chelsea was highest at £3,690, while Dumfries and Galloway and Hartlepool were joint-lowest at £558. Outside London, Oxford had the highest local average anywhere in the UK, at £1,963.
Property size matters too. In August 2026 the ONS bulletin put the UK average at £1,589 for detached homes and £1,367 for flats and maisonettes. One-bedroom homes across the UK averaged £1,136, compared with £2,080 for homes with four or more bedrooms.
Why Different Rental Reports Show Different Averages
Two rent reports can both be accurate and still publish different figures. The ONS Price Index of Private Rents measures the whole privately rented stock. A new-let or advertised-rent index measures the smaller group of homes coming to market now, which usually responds faster when conditions change.
The English Housing Survey uses another definition. It includes both market and below-market private rents and recorded a mean private rent of £250 a week in England in 2024-25, up from £237 one year earlier. Its housing-cost data put London at £393 a week and the rest of England at £207. Before two headlines are compared, it helps to know the date, the area and the type of tenancy each one measures.
How Big Is the UK Rental Market?
The main count of renting households covers England rather than the whole UK. The English Housing Survey household profile estimates that England had 25.0 million households in 2024-25: 16.2 million owner occupied, 4.7 million privately rented and 4.1 million socially rented.
This matters because “how many people rent in the UK?” and “how many rental properties are there?” are not the same question. A household can contain several people, while dwelling-stock data can include vacant homes between tenancies. So the figure to use is 4.7 million privately renting households in England. The survey does not cover the rest of the UK.
London also has a different tenure mix from the rest of England. The survey estimated that 28% of London households privately rented, compared with 17% elsewhere in England. It cautioned that the apparent fall from the previous year's London estimate was not statistically significant.
UK Tenant Demand: What Agents See on the Ground
National rent inflation tells us what prices did across a large stock of homes. It does not show how many suitable applicants responded to one listing in one street.
At our North West letting agency, Abode, we still see plenty of applicants for a good home. Well-presented, realistically priced properties typically receive 15 to 20 serious enquiries soon after going live, and desirable homes are often let within a week. One two-bedroom terrace in Edgeley received 18 viewing requests and 12 applications, and was let agreed within five days.
That is what one local agency sees. It is not a national demand measure. Rental demand is best checked property by property, using achievable rents, competing listings, time to let, local employment and how many suitable applicants there are. Property Investments UK's guide to calculating rental demand sets out those indicators, while working out rental yield is a separate calculation based on income and purchase cost.
Applicants still sometimes offer more than the advertised rent or several months' rent in advance. The behaviour has not disappeared, but the rules in England have changed. Since 1 May 2026, government guidance says a landlord cannot accept or encourage an offer above the advertised rent. A landlord also cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before the tenancy agreement is signed, and can ask for no more than one month's rent in advance after signing.
What the Renters' Rights Act Changed
The main private-tenancy changes under the Renters' Rights Act took effect in England on 1 May 2026. Current government guidance for tenants confirms that:
- most existing assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies;
- new private tenancies are assured periodic and do not have a fixed end date;
- a landlord cannot accept or encourage an offer above the advertised rent;
- advance rent is limited to one month after the tenancy agreement is signed;
- rent can generally be increased once a year, not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy, using Form 4A with at least two months' notice; and
- the Section 21 no-fault eviction process no longer applies to the new regime.
These are England rules. Housing law differs in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so a UK-wide rent figure does not tell you the legal position in each nation.
UK Rental Market Forecast: What the Data Can and Cannot Tell Us
The figures show what rents have done so far. UK annual rent inflation peaked at 9.1% in March 2024. Through the first half of 2026 the annual rate sat between 3.3% and 3.6%, with the low point in May and June. It then rose to 3.7% in July and 3.8% in August. Across the English regions, growth in the year to August 2026 ranged from 5.8% in the North East and North West to 3.0% in the South East. So the August 2026 figures show positive rent inflation in every English region, at different rates.
They do not prove that rents, demand or investment returns will keep rising at the same rate. Interest costs, new supply, household incomes, local employment and regulation can all change the outcome. So a rental-market report is background for a property decision. It cannot say what one property will earn.
Investors comparing areas can read the August 2026 figures alongside the best buy-to-let locations research. For London on its own, the London rental yields guide looks at the city area by area.
Average Private Rents by Local Area: August 2026
These are ONS local rent data for August 2026, with separate estimates for one-bedroom through to four-or-more-bedroom homes.
Among these locations, Kensington and Chelsea had the highest average rent at £3,690 a month. Hartlepool was lowest at £558, level with Dumfries and Galloway in the ONS UK-wide list. Tewkesbury recorded the largest annual increase at 13.4%. Four areas in the table fell over the year. Merthyr Tydfil had the largest fall at 1.6%, followed by Kingston upon Thames, Worthing and Westminster. Manchester was £1,373, up 4.2%.
These are area-wide averages across the private rented stock, not an achievable-rent estimate for one property. The row labelled London is the ONS region-wide estimate, so it covers the 33 local authority rows listed with it. The City of London has no standalone ONS estimate and is shown as a dash. The UK figures for July and August 2026 are provisional and may be revised.
The tables below compare 141 areas in England and Wales using ONS private-rent estimates for August 2026. That is 140 local areas plus the London regional estimate.
London
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington and Chelsea | £3,690 | 2.1% | £2,640 | £3,428 | £4,074 | £5,650 |
| Westminster | £3,196 | -0.6% | £2,548 | £3,305 | £3,895 | £5,424 |
| Islington | £2,868 | 6.2% | £2,178 | £2,697 | £3,005 | £4,229 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £2,825 | 3.3% | £2,000 | £2,622 | £2,992 | £4,181 |
| Camden | £2,819 | 1% | £2,054 | £2,621 | £3,055 | £3,967 |
| Hackney | £2,658 | 3.6% | £2,001 | £2,489 | £2,846 | £3,674 |
| Wandsworth | £2,632 | 4.2% | £1,938 | £2,463 | £2,810 | £3,818 |
| Lambeth | £2,525 | 3.7% | £1,882 | £2,342 | £2,682 | £3,715 |
| Southwark | £2,474 | 5.4% | £1,876 | £2,348 | £2,732 | £3,608 |
| Tower Hamlets | £2,453 | 3.5% | £1,992 | £2,418 | £2,750 | £3,378 |
| Richmond upon Thames | £2,333 | 4.4% | £1,732 | £2,222 | £2,684 | £3,907 |
| London | £2,332 | 3.5% | £1,760 | £2,232 | £2,643 | £3,646 |
| Haringey | £2,219 | 1.4% | £1,639 | £2,034 | £2,356 | £3,186 |
| Merton | £2,172 | 5.4% | £1,639 | £2,024 | £2,407 | £3,267 |
| Ealing | £2,109 | 3% | £1,629 | £2,033 | £2,406 | £3,287 |
| Brent | £2,014 | 3.4% | £1,577 | £1,934 | £2,271 | £3,052 |
| Greenwich | £1,995 | 6.1% | £1,563 | £1,932 | £2,242 | £3,001 |
| Hounslow | £1,952 | 3.2% | £1,583 | £1,947 | £2,241 | £3,076 |
| Barnet | £1,949 | 3.3% | £1,500 | £1,858 | £2,256 | £3,192 |
| Newham | £1,928 | 2.9% | £1,630 | £1,993 | £2,212 | £2,672 |
| Lewisham | £1,829 | 2% | £1,457 | £1,789 | £2,057 | £2,714 |
| Enfield | £1,827 | 5.1% | £1,422 | £1,764 | £2,098 | £2,807 |
| Kingston upon Thames | £1,811 | -1.2% | £1,379 | £1,755 | £2,154 | £2,836 |
| Harrow | £1,778 | 2.9% | £1,394 | £1,715 | £2,064 | £2,789 |
| Waltham Forest | £1,763 | 1.5% | £1,400 | £1,723 | £2,023 | £2,565 |
| Redbridge | £1,726 | 2% | £1,368 | £1,681 | £1,981 | £2,711 |
| Barking and Dagenham | £1,698 | 2.6% | £1,377 | £1,721 | £1,899 | £2,519 |
| Bromley | £1,684 | 2.7% | £1,312 | £1,641 | £1,990 | £2,926 |
| Croydon | £1,582 | 3.2% | £1,265 | £1,573 | £1,858 | £2,667 |
| Hillingdon | £1,570 | 2.5% | £1,252 | £1,586 | £1,913 | £2,634 |
| Havering | £1,565 | 1.5% | £1,217 | £1,542 | £1,847 | £2,496 |
| Sutton | £1,556 | 2.1% | £1,239 | £1,554 | £1,899 | £2,492 |
| Bexley | £1,537 | 1.6% | £1,229 | £1,526 | £1,865 | £2,424 |
| City of London | — | — | — | — | — | — |
North West
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | £1,373 | 4.2% | £1,003 | £1,233 | £1,433 | £2,014 |
| Salford | £1,170 | 3.3% | £888 | £1,084 | £1,287 | £1,770 |
| Stockport | £1,119 | 5.4% | £812 | £1,036 | £1,266 | £1,745 |
| Bury | £969 | 0.8% | £686 | £888 | £1,065 | £1,559 |
| Oldham | £942 | 12.5% | £702 | £879 | £1,067 | £1,452 |
| Liverpool | £913 | 5.6% | £686 | £837 | £963 | £1,293 |
| Warrington | £899 | 5.3% | £673 | £835 | £1,016 | £1,455 |
| Bolton | £894 | 11.1% | £654 | £815 | £989 | £1,449 |
| Rochdale | £855 | 8.5% | £622 | £799 | £960 | £1,377 |
| Lancaster | £823 | 6.3% | £602 | £753 | £925 | £1,226 |
| Preston | £790 | 5.9% | £579 | £731 | £859 | £1,250 |
| Wigan | £746 | 6.6% | £542 | £700 | £838 | £1,143 |
| Blackpool | £719 | 7% | £501 | £652 | £794 | £1,050 |
| Burnley | £631 | 2.9% | £465 | £588 | £696 | £952 |
Yorkshire and The Humber
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York | £1,199 | 6.5% | £875 | £1,082 | £1,279 | £1,747 |
| Leeds | £1,145 | 4.2% | £782 | £975 | £1,138 | £1,690 |
| Sheffield | £931 | 4.3% | £690 | £840 | £967 | £1,339 |
| Wakefield | £806 | 5.9% | £576 | £726 | £869 | £1,217 |
| Bradford | £745 | 2.4% | £549 | £675 | £808 | £1,108 |
| Barnsley | £696 | 7.8% | £507 | £630 | £753 | £1,087 |
| Doncaster | £694 | 5.3% | £493 | £636 | £757 | £1,076 |
| Rotherham | £686 | 3.2% | £488 | £615 | £743 | £1,074 |
East Midlands
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leicester | £1,023 | 1.6% | £716 | £892 | £1,045 | £1,453 |
| Nottingham | £1,014 | 1.8% | £735 | £914 | £1,052 | £1,460 |
| Lincoln | £942 | 4.6% | £659 | £828 | £991 | £1,359 |
| Derby | £860 | 3.1% | £608 | £778 | £937 | £1,302 |
| Mansfield | £790 | 4.4% | £551 | £707 | £846 | £1,156 |
| Chesterfield | £758 | 2.7% | £541 | £696 | £832 | £1,170 |
| Bolsover | £706 | 4.2% | £497 | £645 | £747 | £1,124 |
West Midlands
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solihull | £1,279 | 3.2% | £858 | £1,065 | £1,262 | £1,877 |
| Warwick | £1,241 | 1.9% | £883 | £1,105 | £1,330 | £1,907 |
| Birmingham | £1,099 | 3% | £830 | £1,003 | £1,134 | £1,578 |
| Rugby | £1,049 | 5.4% | £755 | £933 | £1,123 | £1,656 |
| Coventry | £1,020 | 2.4% | £759 | £913 | £1,066 | £1,453 |
| Bromsgrove | £992 | 2% | £717 | £899 | £1,091 | £1,603 |
| Worcester | £977 | 5.3% | £711 | £908 | £1,087 | £1,541 |
| Redditch | £976 | 11.1% | £681 | £881 | £1,053 | £1,446 |
| Wolverhampton | £945 | 11.1% | £674 | £842 | £1,011 | £1,442 |
| Tamworth | £925 | 0.5% | £675 | £828 | £1,006 | £1,438 |
| Walsall | £924 | 9.7% | £653 | £797 | £953 | £1,326 |
| Dudley | £858 | 3.4% | £611 | £782 | £942 | £1,249 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £715 | 5.4% | £518 | £662 | £796 | £1,080 |
East of England
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Albans | £1,931 | 2.9% | £1,271 | £1,633 | £2,019 | £2,902 |
| Watford | £1,829 | 2.6% | £1,266 | £1,599 | £1,825 | £2,650 |
| Cambridge | £1,805 | 1.8% | £1,256 | £1,613 | £1,907 | £2,656 |
| Broxbourne | £1,685 | 3% | £1,132 | £1,451 | £1,780 | £2,497 |
| Brentwood | £1,620 | 2.5% | £1,107 | £1,399 | £1,716 | £2,408 |
| Harlow | £1,521 | 4% | £1,022 | £1,327 | £1,573 | £2,199 |
| Stevenage | £1,440 | 4.4% | £1,028 | £1,321 | £1,551 | £2,126 |
| Chelmsford | £1,439 | 2.4% | £1,059 | £1,291 | £1,543 | £2,220 |
| Basildon | £1,424 | 5.4% | £983 | £1,269 | £1,508 | £2,123 |
| Southend-on-Sea | £1,306 | 4.9% | £878 | £1,116 | £1,360 | £1,864 |
| Rochford | £1,300 | 5% | £890 | £1,169 | £1,428 | £1,870 |
| Luton | £1,222 | 2.7% | £907 | £1,114 | £1,337 | £1,815 |
| Braintree | £1,213 | 2% | £850 | £1,099 | £1,354 | £1,970 |
| Colchester | £1,197 | 2.1% | £820 | £1,063 | £1,301 | £1,796 |
| Bedford | £1,173 | 3% | £800 | £1,029 | £1,260 | £1,806 |
| Norwich | £1,142 | 0.6% | £778 | £972 | £1,137 | £1,578 |
| Maldon | £1,139 | 3.5% | £796 | £1,033 | £1,245 | £1,905 |
| Peterborough | £1,012 | 4.9% | £710 | £895 | £1,079 | £1,555 |
| Ipswich | £995 | 4.3% | £744 | £915 | £1,046 | £1,472 |
| Great Yarmouth | £841 | 7.6% | £591 | £770 | £933 | £1,324 |
South East
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | £1,963 | 3.5% | £1,351 | £1,667 | £2,034 | £2,858 |
| Sevenoaks | £1,809 | 5% | £1,266 | £1,579 | £1,926 | £2,952 |
| Guildford | £1,736 | 5.6% | £1,185 | £1,541 | £1,866 | £2,527 |
| Dartford | £1,575 | 3.1% | £1,092 | £1,419 | £1,709 | £2,369 |
| Reading | £1,574 | 1.4% | £1,116 | £1,393 | £1,671 | £2,353 |
| Slough | £1,565 | 2.2% | £1,142 | £1,425 | £1,712 | £2,436 |
| Winchester | £1,508 | 4.1% | £1,017 | £1,318 | £1,624 | £2,249 |
| Crawley | £1,488 | 2.8% | £1,067 | £1,385 | £1,642 | £2,260 |
| Portsmouth | £1,368 | 2.4% | £901 | £1,135 | £1,360 | £1,961 |
| Milton Keynes | £1,344 | 3.9% | £978 | £1,217 | £1,451 | £2,088 |
| Chichester | £1,333 | 2.9% | £947 | £1,222 | £1,507 | £2,117 |
| Lewes | £1,333 | 5.9% | £924 | £1,217 | £1,506 | £2,170 |
| Maidstone | £1,297 | 3% | £919 | £1,193 | £1,461 | £1,970 |
| Worthing | £1,297 | -0.8% | £890 | £1,182 | £1,428 | £1,931 |
| Canterbury | £1,280 | 5.4% | £876 | £1,132 | £1,368 | £1,903 |
| Southampton | £1,257 | 3.4% | £881 | £1,114 | £1,357 | £1,890 |
| Ashford | £1,248 | 3.1% | £894 | £1,143 | £1,407 | £2,041 |
| Eastleigh | £1,214 | 3.4% | £862 | £1,111 | £1,363 | £1,870 |
| Fareham | £1,176 | 0.9% | £832 | £1,073 | £1,330 | £1,934 |
| Eastbourne | £1,169 | 1.1% | £819 | £1,079 | £1,306 | £1,796 |
| Gosport | £1,169 | 4.9% | £823 | £1,044 | £1,274 | £1,727 |
| Havant | £1,151 | 3.1% | £852 | £1,085 | £1,354 | £1,895 |
| Dover | £1,021 | 8.6% | £728 | £952 | £1,166 | £1,661 |
| Hastings | £1,007 | 1.6% | £697 | £897 | £1,100 | £1,512 |
South West
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exeter | £1,318 | 0.5% | £915 | £1,131 | £1,362 | £1,919 |
| Cheltenham | £1,261 | 4.8% | £869 | £1,096 | £1,354 | £1,908 |
| Gloucester | £1,116 | 7.2% | £745 | £971 | £1,213 | £1,655 |
| Swindon | £1,096 | 4.5% | £820 | £987 | £1,218 | £1,656 |
| Tewkesbury | £1,093 | 13.4% | £746 | £978 | £1,243 | £1,778 |
| Stroud | £1,041 | 6% | £744 | £961 | £1,178 | £1,660 |
| Plymouth | £1,004 | 4.7% | £705 | £886 | £1,065 | £1,493 |
Wales
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | £1,177 | 3.5% | £908 | £1,085 | £1,211 | £1,703 |
| Newport | £959 | 2.7% | £697 | £863 | £965 | £1,362 |
| Swansea | £852 | 6.2% | £688 | £797 | £897 | £1,275 |
| Conwy | £796 | 2.6% | £588 | £734 | £862 | £1,233 |
| Wrexham | £770 | 3.2% | £597 | £711 | £840 | £1,224 |
| Bridgend | £763 | 7.8% | £562 | £701 | £816 | £1,142 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | £754 | -1.6% | £552 | £640 | £722 | £1,087 |
| Caerphilly | £747 | 8.1% | £551 | £689 | £777 | £1,094 |
North East
| Area | Average rent | Annual change | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle upon Tyne | £1,215 | 9.3% | £814 | £1,007 | £1,194 | £1,837 |
| Gateshead | £804 | 5.8% | £590 | £723 | £844 | £1,196 |
| Sunderland | £707 | 4.6% | £523 | £647 | £773 | £1,079 |
| Middlesbrough | £698 | 4% | £499 | £634 | £754 | £991 |
| Darlington | £689 | 6.4% | £496 | £629 | £766 | £1,092 |
| Hartlepool | £558 | 0.3% | £401 | £509 | £608 | £806 |
Property Investments UK's investment property, buy to let property for sale and below market value properties pages explain how the team helps buyers. The wider property investment research covers more than 160 UK towns, cities and regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in the UK?
The average UK monthly private rent was £1,400 in August 2026, according to the ONS Price Index of Private Rents. That was £52, or 3.8%, higher than one year earlier. The July and August 2026 UK figures are provisional and can be revised.
How many people rent in the UK?
The 2024-25 English Housing Survey estimates 4.7 million privately renting households in England, equal to 19% of English households. That is a household count, not a count of individual people, and it covers England only.
Is the UK rental market growing?
Average UK private rents grew by 3.8% in the year to August 2026. The number of privately renting households in England has doubled since the early 2000s, but the sector's share of all households has stayed close to 19% or 20% since 2013-14. Rents are rising, and the share of households who rent privately is steady.
Where are rents rising fastest in England?
Two regions shared the top spot in August 2026. The North East and North West both recorded annual rent growth of 5.8%. The South East had the slowest at 3.0%. London grew by 3.5% and still had the highest average monthly rent at £2,332.
Why do UK rent reports publish different figures?
They often measure different groups. The ONS PIPR covers the whole privately rented stock, including existing and new tenancies. Commercial reports may focus on newly advertised or newly agreed lets, while the English Housing Survey includes both market and below-market private rents. The measure, the date and the area need to match before the numbers can be compared.
Conclusion
The UK rental market is large, rents are still rising, and the gaps between places are wide. It is not one national boom. In August 2026 the ONS put the average rent at £1,400 a month and annual growth at 3.8%, while the best size estimate is 4.7 million privately renting households in England.
The useful work starts after those headlines. It means separating whole-stock rents from new-let figures, and checking how many people are looking against how many homes are to let in one area. That gives landlords, tenants and investors a clearer picture, without turning a national average into a promise about one property.
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