UK rent inflation continued to slow in the 12 months to May 2026, with average monthly private rents rising by 3.3% to reach £1,383, according to provisional estimates from the Office for National Statistics.
The figure is down from 3.5% in the year to April 2026 and extends a broader trend of cooling rent growth that has been underway since December 2024.
The average UK rent is now £44 higher than it was a year ago. Regional figures show notable variation across the UK's nations, with England recording average rents of £1,442 (up 3.4%), Wales at £836 (up 4.7%) and Scotland at £1,009 (up 1.0%). Northern Ireland, where data is available only up to March 2026, saw average rents reach £876, a rise of 3.3%.
In England, annual rent inflation ranged widely by region. The North East continued to record the highest rate at 5.9%, although this was down from 6.5% the previous month. London remained the lowest at 2.0%, unchanged from April.
Average rents themselves told a different story regionally, with London recording the highest typical rent at £2,294 and the North East the lowest at £776.
Wales saw its annual rent rise ease to 4.7% from 4.9% the month before, continuing a decline from the recent peak of 8.9% recorded in March 2025. Scotland's rental market showed an even sharper slowdown, with annual inflation easing to 1.0%, its lowest rise in almost a decade.
The deceleration reflects a wider pattern across the country: 14 of Scotland's 18 broad rental market areas saw annual inflation slow this month, continuing a trend that has persisted since the record 11.7% rise recorded in August 2023.
Northern Ireland's figures, lagging two months behind the rest of the UK, showed rent inflation falling to 3.3% in the year to March 2026, the lowest rate in over five years. This follows a similar long-term slowdown from the record 9.9% rise seen in April 2024.
- UK average rent: £1,383 a month, up 3.3% year-on-year
- Highest local rent: Kensington and Chelsea, London (£3,591)
- Lowest local rent: Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland (£551)
- Highest rent outside London: Oxford, South East (£1,958)
- Most expensive property type: detached homes (£1,572 average)
- Cheapest property type: flats and maisonettes (£1,351 average)
Average rents also varied by property size and type. Detached properties commanded the highest average rent at £1,572, while flats and maisonettes were the cheapest at £1,351. By bedroom count, properties with four or more bedrooms averaged £2,056, compared with £1,123 for one-bedroom homes.
Nathan Emerson, chief executive of Propertymark, said the figures reflect a persistent mismatch between supply and demand in the rental sector. "Continued rental growth demonstrates the ongoing imbalance between supply and demand within the private rented sector. Letting agents across the UK continue to report strong tenant demand alongside a shortage of available properties.
"Increasing the supply of rental housing must remain a priority if affordability pressures facing tenants are to be addressed."
Richard Donnell, executive director of research at Zoopla, said, "The boom in rents is over, and the pace of rent increases is slowing on a weaker labour market and a big drop in migration into the UK. A period of more sustainable growth in rents will be welcome news for renters while providing continued growth in income for landlords to offset higher costs of doing business."
Jeremy Leaf, north London estate agent and a former RICS residential chairman, says, “Often we have found on the ground that lettings activity and rents are in inverse proportion to sales. This time around, though, while sales are rather subdued, lettings are also still sluggish.
"A significant proportion of landlords are selling due to concerns about the Renters’ Rights Act, which is still underpinning rents, but worries about the cost of living have kept a lid on any further increases.
"Looking forward, we don’t expect to see much change, but if inflation continues to level, then a modest increase in rents is probably unstoppable."
Chris Norris, chief policy officer for the National Residential Landlords Association, said, “Today’s data continues to point to a national rental market under less pressure, with the gap between demand and supply continuing to narrow.
“However, the national picture masks considerable regional variation. Tenants in the North East continue to face some of the biggest gaps between the homes they need and what is available to rent.
“The private rented sector has proved resilient in the face of strong headwinds of change, but the fact remains that we still need more rental homes alongside all other types of housing.
“Policy needs to reflect this, beginning with scrapping next year’s planned tax hike on rental income, the cost of which will ultimately be borne by tenants.”
Greg Tsuman, managing director, lettings, Martyn Gerrard Estate Agents, said, “London continues to see the greatest affordability imbalance and the highest rents, because there is no new investment taking place. Rents could, and should, be falling. Unfortunately, they will continue to rise until the Section 24 issue is addressed.
“Landlords are being hamstrung by Section 24 of the Finance Act, which is effectively a tax on their mortgage interest, which has made it impossible for many with a mortgage to make a return. Landlords are asking for top-end rents and being exceptionally selective to offset both cost pressures and the additional compliance and perceived risk coming through the Renters’ Rights reforms.
"And importantly, this stock is unlikely to be stable. When the sales market improves, which could be fairly soon, these same landlords are likely to be the first to exit, using mandatory possession grounds after the minimum term.
“Renters, landlords, homeowners, aspiring buyers and the Treasury are all losing out in the current situation. The government needs to repeal Section 24 of the Finance Act and cut other taxes that are jamming the market, because no one benefits from this.”
