Average UK monthly private rent rose 3.3% to £1,388 in the 12 months to June 2026, according to provisional estimates, with the annual growth rate holding steady from the 12 months to May 2026.
Rents increased across all three home nations covered in the June data. England recorded the largest average rent at £1,446, up 3.4% annually, while Wales saw rents rise to £843, up 4.9%, and Scotland's average rent reached £1,012, up 1.3%. Northern Ireland, reported to April 2026 due to data lag, saw rents climb to £877, up 2.9% annually, the lowest annual rise there in over five years.
Within England, rent inflation varied sharply by region:
- The North East posted the highest annual rent inflation of any English region, at 6.3%, up from 5.9% the previous month.
- London recorded the lowest annual rent inflation, at 2.2%, though this was up slightly from 2.0% a month earlier.
- Average rent remained highest in London at £2,302 a month and lowest in the North East at £781.
Scotland's rental market also showed a notable shift. Its 1.3% annual rise marked the first pick-up in the country's rent inflation rate since December 2024, following a steady slowdown from the record 11.7% annual rise seen in August 2023.
Wales's 4.9% rise was higher than the previous month's 4.7%, though it remains well below the 8.9% peak recorded in March 2025. Northern Ireland's rate has eased consistently since a record 9.9% annual rise in April 2024.
House prices across the UK
Average UK house prices rose 2.7% to £271,000 in the 12 months to May 2026, a slowdown from 3.9% annual growth recorded in the 12 months to April 2026.
A base effect largely explains the slowdown: prices rose just 0.1% month-on-month in May 2026, compared with a much sharper 1.8% monthly rise in May 2025, which followed the April 2025 stamp duty land tax changes in England and Northern Ireland.
House price growth also varied by nation and region:
- England's average house price reached £292,000, up 2.3% annually, down from 4.0% growth the previous month.
- Wales recorded the strongest nation-level rise, with average prices reaching £215,000, up 4.2% annually and ahead of the 3.5% rise recorded the month before.
- Scotland's average house price hit £196,000, up 4.4% annually, also ahead of the previous month's 3.2% rise.
- Northern Ireland's average house price stood at £198,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up 7.4% year on year.
The North East again recorded the highest house price inflation of any English region, at 5.9%, although this was down sharply from 9.7% the month before. London remained the weakest performer, with prices falling 3.7% annually, the ninth consecutive month of annual decline in the capital.
Outer London saw a modest 0.3% annual fall, while the bulk of the capital's decline came from Inner London, down 5.9% annually, driven by steep falls in local authorities including Westminster and Tower Hamlets.
Commenting on rental prices, Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, said, “The rental sector continues to face intense pressure, with around seven people approaching Propertymark member agents for every available property they have on offer.
“Ultimately, we need to see a significant increase in the number of rental properties entering the lettings market to keep pace with growing demand and help ease overall costs for many renters.
“It is important that housing continues to take centre stage across all nations individually, especially considering there are still many uncertainties in the wider economy to contend with.”
Alex Upton, managing director, specialist mortgages & bridging finance, Hampshire Trust Bank, said, “These rental figures reinforce what we've been seeing in other market data, including Rightmove. Average asking rents remain at record highs, but the pace of growth is very different to what we saw over the last couple of years. That's creating a more balanced market, which tends to suit landlords taking a longer-term view rather than relying on rapid rental inflation.
“The Renters' Rights Act is continuing to shape how landlords think about their portfolios, with smaller landlords increasingly considering their options while more professional investors continue to look for opportunities to strengthen and refine their portfolios. We're having far fewer conversations centred around expansion for the sake of growth.
"The focus is much more on making sure every acquisition has a clear role within a portfolio, whether that's strengthening income, improving resilience or creating longer-term value. That's reflected in the continued appetite we're seeing for specialist assets such as HMOs and semi-commercial property, where investors are looking to complement an existing portfolio rather than simply add to it.
“That makes maintaining a healthy supply of rental homes increasingly important. Analysis from TwentyEA suggests one in five rental properties have left the market over the past decade, despite continued tenant demand. Delivering a sufficient supply of rental homes needs to remain a priority if the market is to stay accessible for renters while continuing to attract long-term investment.”
