House rents increasing by 5% a year – the highest rate since 2008

Zoopla’s most recent UK Rental Marker Report indicates that the UK rental sector excluding London is experiencing a surge in demand, with average monthly rent now sitting at £943. Annual rental growth is at 5%, its highest level since 2008. The rise is believed to be the result of people returning to work in towns and students returning to universities. Rental demand is higher than supply, with demand up 19% compared with this time last year and supply down 13%. Investments in buy-to-let properties have experienced a decline since the introduction of the additional 3% stamp duty back in 2016, which is contributing to the pressure on rent levels. The stock of rental properties is expected to remain low nationally for the foreseeable future.

Source struttandparker

EAN Breaking News

Breaking News from the team at Estate Agent Networking. Have a new story to share with us? Then please get in contact today! When and where we can we will refer to third party websites with a 'live link back' where news was released first.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Fear of a chain-breaks biggest concern in current market

The latest insight from quick sale specialists, House Buyer Bureau, has found that the most common reason homeowners choose a quick sale is no longer financial hardship, ill health, or the death of a loved one, but the desire to keep their onward move on track in an increasingly uncertain housing market. The internal data from…
Read More
Breaking News

Property auctions generate complaints at four times the rate of the wider housing market

Property auctions account for just 2% of home sales but generate more than four times their share of complaints, according to a new insight report by the Property Ombudsman. The report highlights that while auctions remain a relatively small part of the wider residential property market, they are generating a disproportionately high level of consumer…
Read More
Breaking News

UK rents see upward trend in early 2026

Lomond’s report finds UK average rents rise to £1,384pcm in the first three months of 2026, compared to 2025. Average rent in London reaches £2,339pcm, 69% higher than the UK average. Kent records the network’s highest rental uptick of +9%, in early 2026. Tenant demand strengthens with a +28% increase in viewings activity in 2026.   Lomond observed the average rent across its network of lettings…
Read More
Breaking News

Landlord repossessions rose 6% ahead of Renters’ Rights Act

Landlord possession claims rose by almost 6% in the first quarter of 2026 as property owners moved to regain control of homes before the Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May, according to analysis by LegalforLandlords. LegalforLandlords analysed the latest repossession data* and found that during Q1 2026, a total of 22,733 possession…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

Tenant confidence in RRA compliance sits at just 32%

Barely a third of managed tenants believe their management company is compliant following RRA changes   The latest insight from property management specialist, Rushbrook & Rathbone, reveals that whilst managing agents had until 31st May to distribute new documentation following the latest RRA implementations, almost 60% of tenants living in managed properties have seen no changes…
Read More
Breaking News

Six issues that make your property unmortgageable

The latest market insight from House Buyer Bureau has revealed six common issues that could see a homeowner’s property deemed unmortgageable by lenders, drastically reducing the pool of potential buyers and making it far harder to sell on the open market. House Buyer Bureau analysed some of the most common reasons properties fail lender criteria, alongside the…
Read More