Rent prices have increased by nine percent in the last year across Great Britain, but in some areas they’ve increased by a fifth.
It cost £1,238 a month to rent the average private home in Great Britain during the 12 months to February 2024, according to the latest data from the government’s Housing Market Indices Team.
That’s a 9.0 percent increase from February 2023, when the average private rent was £1,136 a month.
The amount people pay in rent, and the amount rents have increased by varies across the country.
At a national level, private rents rose by 8.8 percent in England (to £1,276 a month), 9.0 percent in Wales (to £723 a month), and 10.9 percent in Scotland (to £944 a month).
The London borough of Brent has seen the largest annual increase in average private rent with he average home there now costing £1,824 a month in the year to February 2024, 20.0 percent higher than in the year to February 2023.
That’s followed by Folkestone and Hythe, where the average private rent has gone up 19.8 percent. Then Greenwich at 15.4 percent, Lothian at 14.9 percent, and West Dunbartonshire at 14.5 percent.
You can see the price rises in your local area using our interactive map:
Kensington and Chelsea is the most expensive place to rent in the country.
The average private rent in the London borough was £3,248 a month in the year to February.
Westminster was the next most expensive place to rent (£2,917 a month), followed by Camden (£2,481 a month), Hammersmith and Fulham (£2,446 a month), and Islington (£2,399 a month).
Bristol is the most expensive place to rent outside of London at £1,734 a month, while in Brighton and Hove private rents averaged £1,716 a month.
Local authorities with the largest increases
LA: Increase
Brent: 20%
Folkestone and Hythe: 19.8%
Greenwich: 15.4%
Lothian: 14.9%
West Dunbartonshire: 14.5%
Argyll and Bute: 13.8%
Oldham: 13.6%
Portsmouth: 13.6%
Arun: 13.6%
Islington: 13.4%
Birmingham: 13.3%
Tower Hamlets: 13.2%
Ipswich: 13.1%
Swansea: 13%
Westminster: 12.8%
Greater Glasgow: 12.8%
Cardiff: 12.8%
Rochdale: 12.7%
Worcester: 12.5%
Salford: 12.5%
Most expensive places to rent
LA: Average monthly private rent
Kensington and Chelsea: £3,248
Westminster: £2,917
Camden: £2,481
Hammersmith and Fulham: £2,446
Islington: £2,399
Wandsworth: £2,266
Hackney: £2,213
Southwark: £2,177
Tower Hamlets: £2,164
Lambeth: £2,119
Haringey: £1,895
Richmond upon Thames: £1,892
Merton: £1,854
Brent: £1,824
Ealing: £1,773
Greenwich: £1,757
Bristol, City of: £1,734
Elmbridge: £1,731
Brighton and Hove: £1,716
Barnet: £1,715
