Rents stand still at start of the year for the first time since 2017
Rightmove says asking rents outside London were flat between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026 — the first time that has happened since 2017. Average rent outside London sits at £1,370 a month, up 1.6% on the year, the smallest annual rise since 2018. Supply is up 3% year-on-year and there are now around eight enquiries per rental home, down from eleven a year ago. For renters, the heat is coming out of the market.
What this means for…
Buyers· 1/3
Sellers· 2/3
Wider market· 2/3
Each axis scored 1 (minor) to 3 (major). Total 5/9.
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2 Sept 2026 · Impact 7/9
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1 Sept 2026 · Impact 8/9
Mortgage approvals fall to 56,100 in July as net lending drops to £4.3bn
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