In short: Price against genuine comparables, similar properties currently listed and, ideally, ones that actually let recently, not just aspirational asking prices, on Rightmove and Zoopla, and be honest about condition and location differences. Overpricing is the more expensive mistake: a property sitting empty for even a few weeks can cost more than a modest rent reduction would have, and UK rent growth has slowed sharply from the 9%+ peaks of 2022–2024 to around 2–3% in 2026, so tenants have more room to negotiate and compare than they did two years ago. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, mid-tenancy increases now must go through a formal Section 13 notice process, and tenants can challenge the new rent at a tribunal that can only confirm or reduce it, never increase it, so setting it right in the first place matters more than ever.
Start with real comparables, not wishful thinking
Rightmove and Zoopla are the obvious starting points, but the way most landlords use them is flawed: they look at current asking prices for similar properties, which tells you what other landlords are hoping for, not what tenants are actually agreeing to pay. To get a more honest picture:
- Filter for the same property type, bedroom count, and broadly the same postcode or catchment
- Note how long comparable listings have been up, a flat that’s been advertised for six weeks is a warning that its asking rent is too high, not a benchmark to match
- Check “Let Agreed” listings where the site shows them, and ask local agents (even ones you don’t use) what similar properties have actually achieved recently, most will give you a free, informal opinion in the hope of winning your business
- Adjust for genuine differences: parking, garden, recent refurbishment, energy efficiency (a C-rated home with lower bills is a real selling point now that EPC standards are tightening), proximity to transport and schools
Use rent valuation tools for landlords
As lettings agents, it’s our job to know the market and what the direction it is heading in. Use our valuation tool here to get a quick idea of the rent you could get.
Free rental valuation
How much rent could your property earn?
Enter the postcode and answer four quick questions. We'll estimate the monthly rent from official ONS figures and the rents we achieve for landlords nearby.
- Official ONS rent data
- Calibrated on real Cozee lets
- Free, in under a minute
Never dismiss an in-person valuation. Your agent has knowledge that an online tool will never have. After you check the rent you could get, always book this in-person meeting.
The maths of overpricing: why a void costs more than you think
This is the calculation that trips up new landlords most often. Imagine a property that could realistically let at £1,200 a month. If you list it at £1,350 hoping to “test the market,” and it takes an extra six weeks to let compared with pricing it correctly, you’ve lost roughly £1,660 in rent during that void, before counting continued mortgage payments, council tax on an empty property, insurance, and the risk of the property looking “stale” on portals (which itself puts off prospective tenants, creating a longer void). A modest rent reduction of £50–100 a month almost always costs less over a year than even a single month of extra vacancy.
Rule of thumb: if a property hasn’t had serious viewing interest within 10–14 days of listing, that’s a strong signal the price is off, not that you need to wait for “the right tenant.”
Rent growth has cooled, recalibrate your expectations
If you set your last rent increase during 2022–2024, be aware the market has genuinely shifted. Rent growth nationally has slowed to roughly 2–3% a year in 2026, down from the exceptional 9%+ annual increases seen during the post-pandemic surge, as supply has gradually recovered and affordability limits have bitten. Zoopla and Rightmove both point to rental demand easing and average time-to-let stretching compared with the peak, giving tenants more room to shop around and negotiate. That doesn’t mean rents are falling everywhere, supply remains structurally tight in most regions, but the days of any asking rent finding a tenant within 48 hours are largely behind us. Price for the market you’re actually in, not the one from two years ago.
ONS figures · August 2026
Rents in London vs the UK
In August 2026 the average private rent in London was £2,332 a month (up 3.5% on a year earlier), against £1,400 across the UK (up 3.8% on a year earlier). London rents are £932 a month higher than the UK average, or 67% more.
- London £2,332 a month +3.5% on a year ago
- United Kingdom £1,400 a month +3.8% on a year ago
- London premium +67% £932 a month more than the UK
Average monthly rent and yearly change, London and UK, January 2015 to August 2026
| Month | London rent | London yearly change | UK rent | UK yearly change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2,332 | +3.5% | £1,400 | +3.8% | |
| £2,317 | +3.0% | £1,393 | +3.7% | |
| £2,302 | +2.2% | £1,388 | +3.3% | |
| £2,294 | +2.0% | £1,383 | +3.3% | |
| £2,290 | +2.0% | £1,381 | +3.5% | |
| £2,280 | +1.7% | £1,377 | +3.4% | |
| £2,273 | +1.7% | £1,374 | +3.6% | |
| £2,253 | +1.1% | £1,367 | +3.5% | |
| £2,268 | +2.1% | £1,367 | +3.9% | |
| £2,271 | +2.8% | £1,366 | +4.4% | |
| £2,265 | +4.3% | £1,360 | +5.0% | |
| £2,260 | +5.3% | £1,354 | +5.5% | |
| £2,253 | +5.7% | £1,348 | +5.7% | |
| £2,250 | +6.3% | £1,343 | +5.9% | |
| £2,252 | +7.3% | £1,344 | +6.7% | |
| £2,249 | +7.7% | £1,339 | +7.0% | |
| £2,246 | +8.4% | £1,335 | +7.4% | |
| £2,243 | +9.1% | £1,332 | +7.7% | |
| £2,235 | +9.9% | £1,327 | +8.1% | |
| £2,229 | +11.0% | £1,321 | +8.7% | |
| £2,221 | +11.4% | £1,316 | +9.0% | |
| £2,209 | +11.5% | £1,308 | +9.0% | |
| £2,172 | +10.2% | £1,295 | +8.6% | |
| £2,147 | +9.7% | £1,284 | +8.4% | |
| £2,130 | +9.5% | £1,275 | +8.4% | |
| £2,116 | +9.6% | £1,268 | +8.5% | |
| £2,100 | +9.6% | £1,260 | +8.6% | |
| £2,088 | +10.1% | £1,252 | +8.7% | |
| £2,071 | +10.7% | £1,243 | +8.9% | |
| £2,056 | +11.2% | £1,236 | +9.1% | |
| £2,034 | +10.5% | £1,227 | +8.9% | |
| £2,009 | +9.7% | £1,216 | +8.5% | |
| £1,994 | +9.7% | £1,207 | +8.4% | |
| £1,982 | +9.7% | £1,200 | +8.4% | |
| £1,971 | +10.0% | £1,193 | +8.4% | |
| £1,957 | +9.6% | £1,185 | +8.1% | |
| £1,945 | +9.7% | £1,177 | +8.1% | |
| £1,930 | +9.5% | £1,169 | +7.9% | |
| £1,915 | +9.2% | £1,161 | +7.6% | |
| £1,896 | +8.4% | £1,152 | +7.2% | |
| £1,870 | +7.1% | £1,142 | +6.6% | |
| £1,850 | +6.3% | £1,133 | +6.2% | |
| £1,841 | +6.1% | £1,126 | +6.0% | |
| £1,830 | +5.9% | £1,120 | +5.8% | |
| £1,818 | +5.4% | £1,114 | +5.6% | |
| £1,806 | +5.2% | £1,107 | +5.5% | |
| £1,791 | +4.5% | £1,100 | +5.2% | |
| £1,785 | +4.5% | £1,096 | +5.1% | |
| £1,773 | +3.9% | £1,089 | +4.8% | |
| £1,763 | +3.4% | £1,084 | +4.5% | |
| £1,754 | +2.4% | £1,079 | +4.1% | |
| £1,750 | +2.2% | £1,075 | +4.0% | |
| £1,746 | +1.5% | £1,071 | +3.6% | |
| £1,739 | +0.5% | £1,066 | +3.2% | |
| £1,735 | 0.0% | £1,063 | +3.0% | |
| £1,728 | −0.4% | £1,059 | +2.7% | |
| £1,724 | −0.8% | £1,055 | +2.5% | |
| £1,716 | −1.5% | £1,049 | +2.0% | |
| £1,713 | −1.8% | £1,046 | +1.7% | |
| £1,709 | −2.1% | £1,042 | +1.5% | |
| £1,706 | −2.2% | £1,039 | +1.3% | |
| £1,706 | −2.2% | £1,037 | +1.1% | |
| £1,713 | −1.6% | £1,036 | +1.2% | |
| £1,712 | −1.8% | £1,034 | +1.0% | |
| £1,721 | −1.2% | £1,033 | +1.1% | |
| £1,731 | −1.0% | £1,034 | +1.1% | |
| £1,735 | −0.6% | £1,032 | +1.1% | |
| £1,735 | −0.2% | £1,030 | +1.1% | |
| £1,737 | 0.0% | £1,030 | +1.2% | |
| £1,742 | +0.5% | £1,029 | +1.3% | |
| £1,745 | +1.0% | £1,029 | +1.5% | |
| £1,745 | +1.3% | £1,027 | +1.5% | |
| £1,744 | +1.7% | £1,026 | +1.7% | |
| £1,745 | +1.9% | £1,025 | +1.9% | |
| £1,741 | +1.7% | £1,024 | +1.8% | |
| £1,742 | +1.6% | £1,023 | +1.8% | |
| £1,741 | +2.6% | £1,022 | +2.1% | |
| £1,748 | +2.8% | £1,022 | +2.2% | |
| £1,744 | +2.5% | £1,021 | +2.2% | |
| £1,738 | +2.5% | £1,019 | +2.2% | |
| £1,737 | +2.4% | £1,018 | +2.1% | |
| £1,733 | +2.5% | £1,016 | +2.1% | |
| £1,728 | +2.5% | £1,014 | +2.2% | |
| £1,723 | +2.5% | £1,012 | +2.2% | |
| £1,716 | +1.9% | £1,009 | +2.0% | |
| £1,712 | +1.9% | £1,006 | +1.9% | |
| £1,712 | +2.2% | £1,005 | +2.0% | |
| £1,714 | +2.3% | £1,005 | +2.1% | |
| £1,698 | +1.2% | £1,000 | +1.6% | |
| £1,700 | +1.0% | £1,000 | +1.6% | |
| £1,701 | +0.4% | £999 | +1.4% | |
| £1,695 | +0.3% | £997 | +1.4% | |
| £1,696 | 0.0% | £997 | +1.2% | |
| £1,691 | −0.5% | £995 | +1.1% | |
| £1,686 | −0.8% | £993 | +1.0% | |
| £1,681 | −1.0% | £990 | +0.9% | |
| £1,683 | −1.3% | £989 | +0.7% | |
| £1,680 | −1.8% | £987 | +0.6% | |
| £1,676 | −1.7% | £985 | +0.7% | |
| £1,675 | −1.5% | £985 | +0.8% | |
| £1,678 | −1.6% | £984 | +0.8% | |
| £1,683 | −1.2% | £984 | +1.0% | |
| £1,694 | −0.5% | £986 | +1.3% | |
| £1,689 | −0.9% | £984 | +1.2% | |
| £1,697 | −0.3% | £985 | +1.5% | |
| £1,699 | 0.0% | £984 | +1.6% | |
| £1,700 | +0.2% | £983 | +1.8% | |
| £1,698 | +0.2% | £982 | +1.9% | |
| £1,706 | +0.9% | £982 | +2.2% | |
| £1,711 | +1.4% | £982 | +2.5% | |
| £1,705 | +1.6% | £979 | +2.6% | |
| £1,701 | +1.6% | £977 | +2.7% | |
| £1,706 | +2.4% | £977 | +3.0% | |
| £1,704 | +2.4% | £975 | +3.0% | |
| £1,702 | +2.9% | £973 | +3.2% | |
| £1,705 | +3.1% | £972 | +3.3% | |
| £1,702 | +3.3% | £970 | +3.4% | |
| £1,700 | +3.4% | £968 | +3.4% | |
| £1,696 | +3.2% | £966 | +3.3% | |
| £1,695 | +3.2% | £963 | +3.2% | |
| £1,691 | +3.5% | £961 | +3.3% | |
| £1,687 | +3.9% | £958 | +3.4% | |
| £1,679 | +3.6% | £954 | +3.3% | |
| £1,674 | +3.6% | £952 | +3.2% | |
| £1,666 | +4.0% | £949 | +3.3% | |
| £1,664 | +4.7% | £946 | +3.4% | |
| £1,655 | +4.5% | £942 | +3.3% | |
| £1,654 | +4.7% | £941 | +3.3% | |
| £1,648 | – | £939 | – | |
| £1,644 | – | £936 | – | |
| £1,644 | – | £935 | – | |
| £1,643 | – | £933 | – | |
| £1,634 | – | £930 | – | |
| £1,624 | – | £926 | – | |
| £1,620 | – | £924 | – | |
| £1,616 | – | £922 | – | |
| £1,602 | – | £918 | – | |
| £1,590 | – | £915 | – | |
| £1,583 | – | £912 | – | |
| £1,580 | – | £910 | – |
What would your property let for today?
Or book a callSource: Office for National Statistics, Price Index of Private Rents, released 16 September 2026, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Average rents paid by all private tenants, including tenancies that started years ago, so new lets usually cost more. Official statistics in development. The ONS publishes new figures each month.
Rent increases mid-tenancy: the new Section 13 process
Since 1 May 2026, all assured tenancies in England are periodic (no more fixed terms), and the process for increasing rent mid-tenancy has tightened up considerably:
- Rent increases can generally only be proposed once every 12 months
- You must use the correct prescribed Section 13 notice (updated Form 4A), the old Form 4 is no longer valid
- You must give the tenant at least two months’ notice of the increase
- Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements are no longer enforceable, even if your contract has one, you must still go through the formal Section 13 process
- The tenant has the right to refer the proposed rent to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), which will assess it against genuine open-market rent for a comparable property
- Critically, the tribunal can only confirm or reduce the proposed rent, it cannot increase it beyond what you asked for, so there is no downside risk to you in referring a fair increase, only in over-reaching
- If the tribunal reduces the rent, the increase doesn’t take effect until the next rent due date after the decision, and in cases of hardship the tribunal can delay the increase starting by up to a further two months
Practical implication: because a tenant can send an unjustified increase to tribunal at no material risk to themselves, landlords are increasingly advised to propose increases that are genuinely defensible against local comparable evidence, rather than testing the ceiling. Keep a simple file of comparable listings and achieved rents each time you propose an increase, it’s your evidence if challenged.
Practical rent-setting checklist
- Pull 5–8 genuinely comparable current listings, and where possible, recently let ones
- Adjust for real, tangible differences in condition, EPC rating, and location
- Price to attract strong interest within the first two weeks, not to “leave room to negotiate down”
- If increasing rent mid-tenancy, benchmark against evidence you could defend at tribunal, and issue the correct Section 13 notice with two months’ notice
- Revisit your assumptions every renewal, the market has genuinely slowed since 2022–2024, and pricing on old data is one of the most common causes of unnecessary voids in 2026
Related reading
Sources
- Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act, GOV.UK
- Price Index of Private Rents, UK: monthly price statistics, Office for National Statistics
This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules referenced are accurate to the best of available information as of July 2026 for England unless stated otherwise. Always check current government guidance (gov.uk) or consult a solicitor/accountant for your specific situation.
Last Updated on September 28, 2026