Rental market grew in 2017 according to Countrywide

The latest Countrywide plc Monthly Lettings Index – January 2018 released this week reveals that rising rents and more households renting means 2017 was a record year for total rent, last year tenants in Great Britain paid a record £51.6 billion in rent, an increase of £1.8 billion on the previous year and more than twice what they paid in 2007.

Commenting Johnny Morris, Research Director at Countrywide, said:

“The rental market grew in 2017.  More people joined the rented sector and average rents increased, meaning 2017 saw the highest total rent bill so far.

“As millennials age, more are becoming homeowners, so the total amount they’re paying in rent has started to drop.  But the Generation Rent title still applies.  Any fall will be much smaller and slower than seen by previous generations as less become homeowners.

“For the second month running rental growth in London has outstripped the rest of the country. Stabilising rents in central London alongside rises everywhere else in the capital has pushed the rate of rental growth to the highest level for 22 months.  While the rate of growth outside London remains higher than for most of last year, it has picked up to a lesser extent.  Across northern England rent rises are running at half the rate of 2017.”

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

Breaking News

Rental demand drops to six-year low

Rental demand drops to six-year low as supply improves and rental growth slows to 2.2 per cent reports Zoopla   Demand for rented homes has fallen by a fifth over the last year and is the lowest for six years. There are 15% more homes for rent than last year, boosting choice for renters UK…
Read More
Christmas Decorations - Good or Bad for Selling
Breaking News

Christmas move-in rush drives short-term rental spikes

Christmas move-in rush drives short-term rental spikes, while year-on-year affordability remains largely unchanged Year-on-year trends remain relatively stable, with most regions showing small changes in rent levels and required salaries. Short-term rental volatility is now the dominant driver of affordability shifts, with North East, Wales, South West, Yorkshire & Humberside, and parts of the Midlands…
Read More
Breaking News

Dwelly reveals the strongest rental market for current returns

The latest research from Dwelly has highlighted which pockets of the British rental market are currently providing landlords with the greatest returns, helping them combat the incoming tax hikes announced in last week’s Autumn Budget. Dwelly analysed the latest Government house price data alongside the most recent rental market figures from the ONS to identify…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

How to find out when a property was built and why it’s important to know

A leading provider of niche and specialist insurance to the home insurance market, Stanhope, has provided a step-by-step guide to finding out when a property was built and explained why it is so important for the homeowner to know its age. Matthew Ashton a Director of Stanhope said: “Knowing the property’s age is crucial for…
Read More
Breaking News

Five real estate opportunities to watch in 2026

By Daniel Austin, CEO and co-founder at ASK Partners The 2025 Autumn Budget offered limited stimulus for the housing market and, persistent headwinds such as sticky inflation, higher for longer interest rates, elevated construction costs, and slow planning processes continue to impact development viability. But there are still reasons for cautious optimism. The UK economy…
Read More
Breaking News

Autumn Budget 2025: What It Means for Buyers, Renters and Landlords

Budget headlines for the property sector: Landlords and property investors are the most directly affected, with slightly higher tax on rental income and frozen tax thresholds. Very high‑value homeowners (£2m+) face a new recurring annual charge from 2028. Renters don’t see direct tax changes, but may end up paying more in rent due to increased…
Read More