Ever increasing rents in London

Labour’s London Assembly housing spokesperson Tom Copley AM has warned that  the average rent for a two-bed home in the capital will hit £2,007 a month by January 2020 if rents continue to rise at their current pace, such a rent would mean a single earner in the household would have to earn almost £120,000 a year to afford it. The median London income is currently £35,069.

New analysis of Valuation Office Agency data by Tom Copley AM has found that the average private rent for a 2-bed home grew by 0.42% a month between November 2004 to March 2015. That means that the average rent for a 2-bed London home in 2015 is now £7,700 a year more than in November 2004.

Modelling, based on the average rate of rent inflation over the past 11 years found that if the rate of rent growth continues, the average 2-bed private rent in London will hit £2,007 a month in January 2020 with a one bed property hitting £2,010 by 2025.

Average private rents for three and four bedroom homes in London have already broken the £2,000 barrier but if the trend continues, by 2025 a privately rented three-bed home in the capital would cost £3,531 a month, with four bed properties on average costing £5,606.

Tom Copley said the next mayor should look at steps to limit rent rises in the capital saying: “there’s no way that rents consistently rising faster than wages is sustainable in the long term.

“These figures show just how broken the London rental market has become. We desperately need to call time on ever increasing rents, which are driving many people into poverty or out of the capital altogether.

“There’s no way that rents consistently rising faster than wages is sustainable in the long term.

“Most other western economies exercise some form of regulation over rent increases, many of which have much larger and better functioning private rented sectors than we do in London. With the number of private renters in the capital due to overtake the number of home owners, it’s about time the capital followed suit and gave private tenants the security and certainty that they deserve.

“The next Mayor of London has a mammoth task to get London’s housing market under control. What’s clear is that Boris Johnson’s soft touch approach to housing has seen rents rocket and standards deteriorate, pricing many low and middle income people out of the capital.”

Content from report 20 Nov 2015 by Tom Copley AM, Labour London Assembly Member    http://tomcopley.com/average-london-rents-hit-2000-month-start-decade/ 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Selling an Inherited Property in Scotland: A Clear Guide

Selling an inherited property in Scotland can begin only once confirmation, the Scottish equivalent of probate, has been granted by the court. Until that legal authority is in place, the executor cannot complete a sale, so grasping the sequence early saves later frustration. Families who would rather not manage a long marketing process sometimes approach…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 3/9/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   The imminent interest rate hike is going to be a real reckoner for property   When interest rates rise again, Britain’s housing market will discover what it is really worth   Thought Leadership by Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR For more than a decade, Britain’s housing…
Read More
Breaking News

Tenancy deposit reform overlooks estimated £750m

As the Government considers reforms to England’s tenancy deposit system, The Letting Partnership is warning that one major question remains almost entirely absent from the debate: what happens to tenancy deposits that are never reclaimed? While current discussions have focused on how deposits should be protected in future, namely custodial vs insured schemes, far less attention…
Read More
Breaking News

Application to offer in 24 hours with new Barclays Fast-Track Remortgage

Barclays launches first-of-its-kind Fast-Track Remortgage, which can provide eligible customers1 a mortgage offer within 24 hours, and completion in as little as five days Research finds those who have switched lenders are twice as likely to find the process difficult compared to those who stayed with their lender (20 per cent vs 10 per cent)…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Mortgage overpayments in a confident market

Financial experts are encouraging homeowners and first-time buyers to take a fresh look at mortgage overpayments as confidence builds in the UK property market and interest rates begin to ease. With major lenders cutting rates, improved loan-to-value options for buyers, and growing optimism in the 2026 market, mortgage overpayments are emerging as a powerful and…
Read More
Breaking News

House price growth remained subdued in August

UK annual house price growth remained broadly stable in August at 1.6% House prices were up 0.2% month on month Headlines Aug-26 Jul-26‡ Monthly Index* 550.1 549.1 Monthly Change* 0.2% -0.1% Annual Change 1.6% 1.4% Average Price (not seasonally adjusted) £275,465 £276,581 * Seasonally adjusted figure (note that monthly % changes are revised when seasonal…
Read More