Rental yields remain almost universally positive, with just one region in England and Wales recording a year-on-year fall.

As well as rising rents, March also saw an increase in void lengths, rising to 21 days from 20 in February.

It is cheaper to buy than rent across all areas of the UK apart from one, according to Zoopla's latest data.

February also saw voids decreasing across all regions monitored by Goodlord.

Consumers’ confidence in their ability to afford rent and mortgage payments remained unchanged.

Clause 13 prohibits tenants from paying rent in advance

Voids have lengthened to their longest average recorded since April 2021.

Across England, the average cost of renting has increased by 44.4% over the last 10 years, now averaging £1,369 per month.

Average advertised rents of properties outside the capital have recorded their first fall since 2019, according to newly released data from Rightmove.

The latest figures released by Canopy reveal that the average UK tenant spent over a third of the year’s take-home salary on rent – yet this is much higher in some areas.