Rents have increased for the first time in five months but remain 2.5% lower than October’s peak.

After several months where rents either dipped slightly or stood still, March’s data shows the first clear uptick since October, according to HomeLet’s latest rental index. Average UK rents rose to £1,311 in March, a 0.8% increase on February and 1.8% higher than last March, when the average was £1,288.

Excluding London’s data, average rents in the rest of the UK have gone up by 0.4% in the past month to £1,125 – 1.6% higher than in March 2025. After four consecutive months of falls, average rents in the capital have risen by 1.5% since February to £2,097 - a 1.7% increase on a year ago.

Eight

Eight regions saw a monthly increase including Northern Ireland and the South West, while the strongest annual increases were seen in Northern Ireland (+4.9%), Scotland (+3.6%) and the North East (+3.2%).

Edinburgh letting firm DJ Alexander believes Scotlands' figures reflect an annual rate in line with the historic trend rather than the blip caused by the introduction of rent controls in September 2022.

Chief executive David Alexander says that with the distorting impact of rent controls now firmly in the past it’s clear that the market is sorting itself out and producing rent increases in line with supply and demand.

He adds: “Interfering in the market has caused distortions in recent years and it is to everybody’s benefit that the PRS is left to meet its own level producing a more balanced, steady period of prolonged growth in the coming years.”

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