UK average rents in August rose 2.4% compared to the same month a year ago according to Homelet

Homelet Rental Index August 2017 released today 18th September 2017 reveals ‘UK RENTS CONTINUE TO RISE IN AUGUST.’

Average rents across the UK rose by 2.4% in August compared to the same month a year ago, the highest rate of annual inflation since November 2016; the average monthly rent now stands at £939.

Rents in London rose 2.5% in August year-on-year, following three successive months of decline; the average monthly rent in the capital now stands at £1,609.

Commenting on the research, HomeLet’s Chief Executive Officer, Martin Totty said: “Whilst we’ve often observed a seasonal uplift in average rents at this time of year, there’s evidence of a trend now emerging which points to a reversal of the declines seen over the early part of this year. This will be welcome relief to Landlords who have been battered by the perfect storm of tax changes and post-Brexit uncertainties. Whether the trend continues or represents only temporary relief from the headwinds faced by property owners, the remaining months of 2017 should provide the answer.”

Martin Totty added: “Whether the recent strengthening in rents achieved, seen generally across all regions of the country, is driven by more robust demand or by some restriction of supply is hard to judge. Either way, landlords will only be encouraged to invest in property over other assets if they’re convinced they can achieve reasonable returns. If not, then the supply of rental properties could become constrained. Many landlords still face further increases in their costs and so will need to find a new equilibrium between their legitimate required returns and affordability for tenants. It seems the elements in solving that particular equation become ever more complex.”

Read the Homelet Rental Index August 2017 in full click here.

 

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

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
Breaking News

East London dominates on annual growth for property values over the last decade

The latest analysis by Foxtons has revealed that, alongside a consistent average annual rate of growth in property values of 1.3% across the capital over the last decade, the east of London dominates when it comes to stand out borough performance – with Redbridge, Havering and Barking and Dagenham topping the table for house price…
Read More