Stories

Sat, 28 Feb 2026

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 Rent tops £1,000 a month in more areas - find out where

The cost of renting privately has surged in the last five years, but tenants may now see a slowdown.

* In 23% of local authority areas, average rent broke the £1,000 barrier in 2020, rising to 52% by 2025
* Average wages have increased over the same period, but many tenants say renting has become unaffordable
* Landlords warn of cost pressures to come, despite Zoopla's data showing rent rises have slowed sharply
* Interactive tool shows areas where average rent exceeds £1,000 per month, primarily in southern England and major cities
* Renters face shortage of available properties in some areas, exacerbating affordability issues
* Temporary rent controls expired in Scotland in April 2025, but new long-term measures are set to be introduced by 2027
* Prohibitively high rents have led to people moving into flat shares later in life and staying on longer, with under-25s now making up just over a quarter of the flat share market
* Zoopla data shows rent rises easing, but landlords face ongoing cost pressures that could drive up rents.