Unions and tenants’ groups have urged the government to introduce rent controls as new figures show average UK rents rose again in May.

London Renters’ Union, Unison and Homes for all Coalition are among those who have signed an open letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves calling for a temporary rent freeze followed by long-term rent controls and investment in council housing.

The groups claim that if the government had introduced a rent freeze in 2022, renting households would be saving £3,200 per year.

Any form of rent control should apply both between tenancies and within tenancies, it says, adding that this would avoid the loophole in Scotland’s 2022 rent freeze, which allowed landlords to hike rents drastically for new tenants.

Reeves

Reeves had reportedly been considering introducing a rent freeze as part of plans to cut the cost of living, but the idea was dismissed last month by Downing Street.

The latest figures from the HomeLet Rental Index show that average UK rents reached £1,340 in May, a 1.1% increase month‑on‑month from £1,325 in April. Rents are now 2.5% higher than in May 2025, when the average was £1,307.

Regional

On a regional level, rents are generally moving upwards: ten of the 12 regions recorded a monthly rise, one was flat, and only one saw a decrease. Scotland saw the strongest monthly growth at 1.9%, while Greater London and the East of England both recorded increases of 1.6%. Scotland also posted the highest annual growth at 3.9%, with Greater London and the North East both up 3.5% year‑on‑year.

Jo Dickens, head of business development at HomeLet and Let Alliance, says affordability remains a key concern for tenants, so the modest, incremental increases will be felt. “The priority for agents and landlords remains sustainable tenancies - balancing fair market rents with what tenants can realistically afford.”

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