Rent growth in England quickened in August, with the average monthly private rent reaching £1,459, £56 more than a year earlier, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The annual increase was 4%, up from 3.8% in July, while the UK average rose to £1,400 after growth of 3.8%, compared with 3.7% a month earlier.
The North East and North West recorded the fastest annual increases in England at 5.8%, although the North East rate had eased from 6.3% in July while the North West edged up from 5.7%.
London's annual rate climbed from 3% to 3.5%, leaving the South East with the slowest increase in England at 3.0%.
Demand keeps pressure on
Nathan Emerson, the chief executive at Propertymark, said: "Across the year, we have seen overall rental inflation generally slow down.
"However, that doesn't take away from the reality of monthly rental costs continuing to rise year on year, albeit at a slower pace than previously."
He added: "We remain in a situation where, on average, we are currently seeing around eight people register interest per available property across many letting agency branches, demonstrating a sizeable mismatch between supply and real-world demand.
"For many reasons, renting a property has become an ever-more-popular option across the UK, and it's important that the sector attracts sustainable and continued investment to keep pace with growing demand."
Regional rent gap
The ONS said: "The North East and North West had the highest rent annual inflation rate of all English regions, both at 5.8%, in the 12 months to August 2026."
London remained by some distance the most expensive part of the country, with the typical monthly rent reaching £2,332 in August. At the other end of the scale, renters in the North East were paying an average £788.
Elsewhere, Wales saw rents rise 4.3% over the year to £846 a month. Scotland's increase was far more modest, with the average reaching £1,013 following annual growth of 1.1%.
The latest Northern Ireland figures cover June, when the typical monthly rent stood at £874. Its annual increase slowed to 1.6%, the weakest rate recorded there for nine years.
Property size matters
Property size also matters with the UK average for detached homes costing £1,589, compared with £1,367 for flats and maisonettes.
Homes with four or more bedrooms cost an average of £2,080 a month, while a one-bedroom home is £1,136.
The ONS figures also reveal that July's average UK property price was £273,000.
That's 1.4% more than a year earlier after annual growth eased from June's 1.5%.
The ONS also says that England's average house price was £293,000 after a 1.1% rise, and in Wales the average is £215,000, up 2.6%, while Scotland reached £196,000 after increasing by 2.3%.
Landlords weigh higher risks
Tom Bill, the head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, said: "The rental market continues to prove the law of unintended consequences, with upward pressure on rents following the introduction of the Renters' Rights Act in May.
"Landlords are setting higher asking rents to reflect the greater risks they face in relation to void periods and rent collection."
He added: "That is happening against the backdrop of falling supply as a series of tax and legislative changes in recent years have undermined the viability of letting property for landlords."
Jon Cooper, the director of mortgages at Aldermore, said strong tenant demand was keeping supply firmly in focus while landlords faced rising costs and a more complex operating environment.
Rising rents in student accommodation
The managing director of Accommodation for Students, Simon Thompson, said: "Student landlords will be looking at the ONS data and wonder where the market is going.
"There is strong tenant demand, but affordability concerns are growing but landlords are facing ever-growing costs."
He added: "No doubt tenants at the lower end of the market will struggle to find affordable homes and the Renters' Rights Act won't be helping.
"Student rents for quality accommodation are holding up but, again, there will be landlords who have opted to leave so student tenant demand remains high."
