ONS research shows majority of England private rents rose in the year to February 2023

Just over half of privately rented properties in England had their rent increased in the year to February 2023, according to Office for National Statistics research reported by Which? on 2 April 2023. The ONS tracked rental price changes at individual properties over time rather than following individual tenants¹.

The ONS found that 50.6% of privately rented properties in its survey in England experienced a price increase between February 2022 and February 2023, compared with 36% the year before. Among those that saw a rise, the ONS estimates the average increase was 9.6%, up from 7% 12 months earlier. One in five of the properties surveyed saw monthly rent rise by 10% or more. For most of the remaining properties, 46.6%, prices stayed constant, while 2.8% saw a rent decrease¹.

The ONS notes that tenancies may have changed over the year, so the figures do not show how many tenants saw a rise or reduction in rental costs. They show how rents at properties changed¹.

The average percentage increase over the year was highest in London at 12% and lowest in the West Midlands at 8.2%¹.

Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, said:

Which? reports that private renting is more common in London, at 29% of households compared with an average of 19%. It attributes rising rents to demand since the pandemic combined with a shortage of rental homes, citing Zoopla figures showing private supply has grown just 1% since 2016 and that the number of available properties has fallen by 33% over the last 18 months¹.

Why it matters for households

The figures cover rent changes at properties in England, not the experience of every tenant, because tenancies can change during the year¹. For tenants in England, a landlord can increase rent under section 13 of the Housing Act. In a fixed-term contract the rent cannot normally go up until the term ends, though a rent review clause may allow a mid-term rise; the landlord must give at least one month's notice, or six months' notice where the fixed term is a year. On a periodic tenancy, rent cannot normally be increased more than once a year without the tenant's agreement, and at least one month's notice must be given where rent is paid weekly or monthly¹.

Any rise must be in line with prices of other local properties. A tenant who considers a rise excessive compared with similar properties can apply to a tribunal before the date the increase is due to start; a decision can take up to 10 weeks, and rent must keep being paid while a rise is challenged¹. Tenants in England or Wales may qualify for the Debt Respite Scheme, also called Breathing Space, which gives a 60-day window in which a landlord cannot take enforcement action; a similar moratorium exists in Scotland¹. Renting rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland¹.

What happens next

No further steps are set out in the research reported. The ONS figures cover the 12 months to February 2023 and no later data is included¹.