The biggest rent price shifts since last Christmas

Leading lettings management platform, Howsy, has looked at where across the nation makes the rental naughty and nice lists since last Christmas, based on the growth in rental costs over the last 12 months.

Using data from the ONS, Howsy has highlighted the top 15 locations to have seen the biggest increases and decreases in the average rental price since last Christmas.

Nationally

Depending on whether you’re a tenant or a landlord, the naughty and nice lists will differ between rental growth and decline but across the nation as a whole, the cost of renting as edged up 0.9% in the last 12 months.

The largest increase has been in Yorkshire and the Humber with a 5.1% jump, while the North East is the only region to have seen a decline at -1.1%.

Where else has dropped?

Looking locally, tenants in Corby will be full of Christmas cheer with the average cost of renting down -10.5% in the last 12 months, the biggest drop across England. Elmbridge in Surrey has also seen the cost of renting drop by double-digits, down -10%.

Windsor and Maidenhead, Wycombe and Bath and North East Somerset also make the top ten biggest rental declines. At -7.2%, Richmond has seen the largest drop in rental values in London, with Tandridge, Stroud, Rushcliffe and Poole also amongst some of the largest drops.

Where has increased?

It’s not all festive cheer for tenants this Christmas though, particularly those in Exeter, with the average rental cost up 28.7% in the last 12 months. Norwich and Newcastle under Lyme have also seen rental prices jump by more than 20% at 21.1% and 20.5% respectively.

Camden has seen the largest increase in the capital, up 18.8%, along with South Oxfordshire at 16%. The City of London, Westminster, York, Hounslow and Mendip have all seen the average cost of renting increase by more than 10% this year.

Founder and CEO of Howsy, Calum Brannan, commented:

“The change in the cost of renting on a regional basis in the last 12 months alone highlights how diverse the rental market is and how fluctuations in stock levels and tenant demand can make a big difference between one area and the next.

Nationally, rents have increased, for the most part, but it’s not all bad news and while some tenants will be feeling the pinch more so this Christmas, others will be enjoying a reduction in the cost of renting.

With a number of legislative changes introduced this year, the rental sector should become a better, more transparent place for tenants and landlords alike as we head into a new decade and this is something we can all look forward to regardless of the change in rental costs.”

Lowest Rental Growth Nationally and by Region
Location
Rental change growth % (2018-2019)
England
0.9%
North East
-1.1%
London
1.1%
East of England
1.2%
South East
1.4%
East Midlands
1.9%
South West
2.5%
North West
2.6%
West Midlands
3.0%
Yorkshire and the Humber
5.1%
Lowest Rental Growth by Area
Location
Rental change growth % (2018-2019)
Corby
-10.5%
Elmbridge
-10.0%
Windsor and Maidenhead
-9.4%
Wycombe
-8.7%
Bath and North East Somerset
-7.3%
Richmond upon Thames
-7.2%
Tandridge
-7.0%
Stroud
-6.7%
Rushcliffe
-6.2%
Poole
-5.9%
Wealden
-5.7%
Newcastle upon Tyne
-5.5%
Brighton and Hove
-4.9%
Ealing
-4.5%
Middlesbrough
-4.3%
Highest Rental Growth by Area
Location
Rental change growth % (2018-2019)
Exeter
28.7%
Norwich
21.1%
Newcastle-under-Lyme
20.5%
Camden
19.8%
South Oxfordshire
16.0%
City of London
11.7%
Westminster
11.4%
York
11.3%
Hounslow
10.5%
Mendip
10.1%
Broadland
8.6%
Wirral
8.5%
Chiltern
8.2%
Canterbury
8.1%
Sedgemoor
8.1%

Properganda PR

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

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

7 Ways Estate Agents Can Adapt to a Changing Property Market

The UK property landscape is evolving rapidly, and estate agents are under increasing pressure to implement innovative strategies. With shifting buyer expectations, new technologies, and alternative sales models entering the market, adapting your approach is essential. So, if you’re looking to see success with your agency, here are just seven key ways you can remain…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

Spring clean drives high maintenance bill for landlord

The latest market insight from property management specialist, Rushbrook & Rathbone, suggests that property maintenance spend is set to surge in April, as the annual ‘spring clean’ by landlords saw the month account for the second highest proportion of total annual maintenance spend in 2025, as well as the largest average spend per work order. Rushbrook…
Read More
Breaking News

65% of homebuyers blame slow process on conveyancers

The latest research from Lyons Bowe reveals that 65% of recent homebuyers say the conveyancing process was the slowest part of their buying process, with a quarter saying the legal back and forth took more than 16 weeks to complete. Lyons Bowe commissioned a survey of 1,000 UK homeowners who made a purchase in the past…
Read More
Breaking News

UK Construction Activity Collapses

Glenigan’s April Construction Index uncovers an industry struggling to cushion the blows from ongoing international conflict and a persistently weak economy. Work starting on-site declined by 17% compared to Q4, remaining 18% below 2025 levels. Residential construction starts dropped by 13% during the Index period and fell by 30% against 2025 figures. Non-residential project-starts dipped…
Read More
Breaking News

Homebuyer demand down in Q1 2026

Buyer demand slips in Q1 2026, with South of England outperformed by North and Midlands The latest Sales Demand Index from eXp UK has revealed that homebuyer demand in England slipped by -1.6% in Q1 2026. The analysis also reveals a clear north-south divide with counties located in the midlands or north of the country recording…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

Check your rights now or risk being caught out by new rental laws

Renters have been urged to check their rights now or risk being caught out, as sweeping new laws prepare to transform the rental market from May. The warning comes ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act, with major reforms set to affect millions of tenants, fundamentally changing how tenancies are managed and challenged. Housing law expert…
Read More