Month on month growth in 10 out of 12 regions
The latest HomeLet Rental Index shows that the average monthly rent across the UK rose to £1,382 in August 2026, up 0.9% from £1,369 in July. Compared with August 2025, when the average was £1,328, this represents an annual increase of 4.1%.
Excluding London, the average rent for the rest of the country is now at £1,179, up 0.8% since July and 3.4% higher than in August 2025.
Greater London remains the UK’s most expensive rental market, with average rents now at £2,238 – 1.4% higher than last month and 5.1% up on a year ago.
Across the UK, most regions recorded further rises in August, with ten out of twelve posting month‑on‑month growth.
Affordability is also being stretched, with tenants now spending an average of 32% of their income on rent, rising to 39.8% for those living in London. On the other side of the equation, landlords are facing higher risks too: Legal for Lettings’ Quarterly CourtWatch for Q2 2026 reports an average rent loss per possession case of £6,411 and an average court delay of 4.85 months across the 63 courts they track.
Offering her perspective on the latest data, Julie Ford CCPM, Founder of Lettings Advice Service, said:“While it is too early to draw definitive conclusions, it is possible that another consecutive rent increase reflects the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on landlord behaviour and market dynamics.
“With renters already allocating 32% of their income to housing costs, the sector must consider whether continued rent growth is sustainable in an environment where wages are not rising at the same pace and the cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets.”
Key Data from the August 2026 HomeLet Rental Index
- Average UK rent: £1,382 (+0.9% MoM, +4.1% YoY)
- UK excluding Greater London: £1,179 (+0.8% MoM, +3.4% YoY)
- Greater London: £2,238 (+1.4% MoM, +5.1% YoY)
Largest monthly changes:
- Northern Ireland: +2.4%
- South West: +2.3%
- Greater London: +1.4%
Strongest annual increases:
- South West: +5.2% YoY
- Greater London: +5.1% YoY
- Northern Ireland: +4.9% YoY
August 2026 table:
The HomeLet Rental Index provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date view of rental values in the UK. Unlike indices based on advertised prices, it reports on actual achieved rents from newly agreed tenancies, drawing from more than 1 million references processed annually for over 5,000 UK letting agents.
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