UK room rents have barely moved over the past year, with the average now sitting at £747 per month, according to rental index data from flatshare site SpareRoom. The figures, covering Q1 2026, show a market that appears stable on the surface but may be facing supply pressures that could push rents higher.
The picture is broadly consistent across the country. The South West of England recorded the biggest regional shift, with rents up 1.5% year on year to £677 per month. Six cities, however, have seen considerably sharper increases: Carlisle (+8%), Inverness (+7%), Gloucester (+6%), Durham (+6%), Worcester (+6%) and Salisbury (+6%).
High rents transforming flatshare dynamics
Stable rents are better than rising ones, but stability at these levels does not mean affordability. Post-pandemic demand sent rents sharply higher, and they have remained elevated since. That sustained pressure is reshaping shared households, with flatsharers getting older and couples and children now a more common feature of the flatshare market.
Room rental supply growth slows
The more pressing concern may lie in supply. Looking at room listings placed by landlords and letting agents in January, typically the biggest month of the year for new flatshare ads, supply growth has slowed sharply. After three consecutive years of growth, the year-on-year increase in January 2026 dropped to +4.2%, down from +13.8% in January 2025. The slowdown comes just ahead of the phased introduction of the Renters' Rights Act from 1 May.
"Landlords have been telling us of their plans to quit the market or reduce their portfolios for many months, but until now, we've not seen that reflected in supply, which has been trending upwards since the aftermath of the pandemic," said Matt Hutchinson, director at SpareRoom.
"Slowing room supply growth is of huge concern when rooms in flatshares are such a critical source of affordable housing. If the supply-demand imbalance gets any worse, UK rents — which, although stable, are already hugely inflated due to post-pandemic demand — will start to rise again. We're concerned this may be the calm before the storm."
