Private rents in England up 4.0% in a year to £1,466, ONS figures show

Average private rents in England rose 4.0% in the 12 months to September 2026, to £1,466 a month, according to the Office for National Statistics’ latest Private rent and house prices bulletin, published on 21 October 2026.

£1,466

Average monthly rent in England

4.0%

Annual rise in England

3.8%

Annual rise across the UK, unchanged from August

The headline figures

Across the UK, the average monthly rent was £1,406 in September, up 3.8% on a year earlier. The annual rate was unchanged from August. The ONS describes the latest figures as provisional estimates.

Regional picture in England

• North West: the fastest annual rent growth of the English regions, at 5.7%.
• London: the highest average rent, at £2,338, but annual growth of 3.5%, joint lowest with the South East.
• North East: the lowest average rent, at £790.

House prices

The same bulletin shows the average UK house price was £273,000 in August 2026, up 0.9% year on year (provisional), slowing from 1.2% in July. In England the average was £294,000, up 0.4%. London prices fell 2.2% over the year, driven by a 5.0% fall in the average price of flats.

What it means for landlords

Rent growth is continuing but at a far steadier pace than in recent years. For landlords reviewing rents under the new periodic tenancy rules, published local figures like these can help show that a proposed increase is in line with the market, which matters if a tenant challenges it at the First-tier Tribunal. Bear in mind that the ONS figures cover all private rents, not just new lettings, so they tend to move more slowly than asking-rent indices.

The next ONS release is due on 18 November 2026.

Sources

• ONS: Private rent and house prices, UK: October 2026

This article is general information for UK landlords, not legal advice. Check the current position or take professional advice.