Rents now top £1,000 in half of Britain

Average monthly rents now exceed £1,000 in more than half of local authority areas across Great Britain.

Zoopla’s latest figures show 52% of councils recorded average rents above that threshold in November 2025, compared with 23% in 2020.

In the South East, councils above £1,000 have increased from 32 to 63, lifting the regional share from 50% to 98%.

The Eastern region has expanded from 14 areas to 36 over the same period, taking 80% of local authorities beyond the four-figure mark.

Market favours renters

The platform’s executive director, Richard Donnell, said: “While renting has become more expensive and is an important cost for household budgets, the market is shifting in renters’ favour.

“Slower rent growth, increased choice and more stable outlooks mean cost-of-living pressures from rent are easing rather than intensifying.”

He added: “Growing the size of the rental market – private and affordable homes – is the best route to further reducing the pressure on renters.”

All London rents above £1,000

Zoopla says that London remains fully above £1,000, with all 33 boroughs in that position in both 2020 and 2025.

The South West has shifted sharply, rising from two councils five years ago to 18 today, which accounts for 69% of the region.

The West Midlands now has eight councils above £1,000, where there were none in 2020.

Scotland and the East Midlands each have six, Yorkshire and the Humber have two, Wales three and the North West four.

The North East only records one authority over the line.

Taken together, 180 areas now average more than £1,000, up from 81 in 2020.

New rent prices slow

The platform’s data also shows that annual growth in rents for new tenancies has slowed to 1.9% in the year to November 2025.

That’s the lowest rate in four years.

At the same time, the available rental supply has increased by 14% compared with a year earlier.

Most of that is linked to lower international migration for work and study and improved prospects for first-time buyers leaving the sector.