London’s most expensive room rent locations climb 2% in 2019 already, up 13% in 2018

Data from leading room share platform, ideal flatmate, shows that the cost of renting a single room in the capital has already increased by 2% in 2019, having increased by 13% between 2017 and 2018.

ideal flatmate crunched the numbers across thousands of room rentals to see how much Londoners are paying on average and how this has changed over the last two years.

Between 2017, the average price of a room listed to rent on ideal flatmate was £781, increasing 13% to £855 in 2018. With a continued lack of suitable stock and a reduction in buy-to-let investors, this figure has already climbed to £902 a month barely two months into 2019.

When it comes to the most expensive, Westminster is currently the most expensive borough at an average of £1,045 a month, followed by Camden at £999 per month on average.

However, when looking on a more granular level it’s Nine Elms that currently tops the table with an average monthly rent of £2,123 a month.

Other areas to see some of the highest rents for just a single room are Covent Garden, Upper Clapton, South Kensington, Knightsbridge, Church End, Bayswater, St James’s, North Finchley and Millbank – all at £1,200 or above.

The cheapest? North Woolwich at £350, with Abbey Wood, Manor Park, Hither Green and West Norwood also some of the lowest.

Co-founder of ideal flatmate, Tom Gatzen, commented:

“Despite room sharing remaining the most affordable way of finding a place to live in London, it too is seeing prices increase as the capital’s rental market continues to strain under the pressure of a supply and demand imbalance.

We’re currently seeing the price of room rentals in London increase at a rate of at least one per cent a month on average which is pretty significant for those already struggling to afford the overall cost of living in the capital.

This cost increase has largely been driven by a reduction in the number of landlords and letting agents with rooms to rent as a result of the stamp duty shake-up, changes to tax thresholds and the impending ban on letting fees. Unless more is done to address this, we will continue to see the cost of renting lift across the board with the capital’s tenants ultimately the ones paying the price.”

Average Room Cost Across London
Year
Average Cost per Month
Change
2017
£781
N/A
2018
£885
13%
2019*
£902
2%

 

Top 10 Most Expensive Boroughs
Borough
Average Room Rent
Westminster
£1,045
Camden
£999
Kensington and Chelsea
£997
Hammersmith and Fulham
£959
Islington
£910
City of London
£900
Hackney
£898
Wandsworth
£810
Tower Hamlets
£809
Southwark
£807

 

Most Expensive Areas
Area
Average monthly rent per room
Nine Elms
£2,123
Covent Garden
£1,350
Upper Clapton
£1,350
South Kensington
£1,333
Knightsbridge
£1,300
Church End
£1,273
Bayswater
£1,248
St James’s
£1,238
North Finchley
£1,220
Millbank
£1,200
Earls Court
£1,177
Swiss Cottage
£1,150
Mayfair
£1,130
Marylebone
£1,109
Chalk Farm
£1,107
Islington
£1,102
Hammersmith
£1,096
De Beauvoir Town
£1,091
Stamford Hill
£1,087
Maida Vale
£1,082

 

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Before You Sign: 10 Things Home Movers Wish They Knew

Almost three quarters of home movers wish they knew more before making or accepting an offer as property professionals call for reform Almost three quarters (73%) of people who have recently bought or sold a home wish they had known more about the property or its location before making or accepting an offer, according to…
Read More →
Breaking News

Property expert warns homeowners to lock in amid mortgage rates uncertainty

With mortgage rates fluctuating and threatening to rise, homeowners hoping for cheaper borrowing in 2027 are being warned against delaying their mortgage plans if they’re anticipating lower rates According to Moneyfacts, the average five-year fixed mortgage rate has now reached 6% in October, the highest level in around three years, while the average two-year fixed…
Read More →
mycelium growth
Breaking News

Damp and mould online searches rise by 34%

The latest research from Inventory Base shows that search interest in damp and mould has increased by 34.2% in the latest two-month comparison, while searches for damp have risen by 29.1% and mould by 16.8%. The analysis of Google search interest trends* found that searches for “damp and mould” rose from an average search interest…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Nearly two-thirds of movers want homes that generate their own energy

Neary two-thirds of movers (63%) want their home to generate most or all of its own energy More than half, 53%, say recent energy-price rises have increased their interest in solar panels and home battery storage Just 8% would prefer to remain fully reliant on the grid Since 2022, mentions of heat pumps in newly…
Read More →
Breaking News

Renters’ Rights Act: A review of the first six months

Ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) coming into force on May 1st, there were many concerns across the industry. Landlords were probably most worried about the removal of section 21 and fixed-term tenancies, fearing it would be harder and take longer to remove troublesome tenants and regain possession of their properties. Widespread predictions were…
Read More →
Breaking News

Private rent and house prices, UK: October 2026

Average UK monthly private rent increased by 3.8%, to £1,406, in the 12 months to September 2026 (provisional estimate); this annual growth rate is unchanged from the 12 months to August 2026. Average rents increased to £1,466 (4.0%) in England, £848 (4.1%) in Wales, and £1,011 (0.7%) in Scotland, in the 12 months to September…
Read More →