Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Strategy. Read the original article for full details.
Room Rents Reach New Highs in Most UK Regions
Average room rents have reached record highs across much of the UK, according to data from flatshare platform SpareRoom. The platform reports that the rental market is showing new signs of tightening following the introduction of the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act.
Data for the second quarter of 2026 shows that average room rents have hit record levels in six of the UK’s nine regions. The supply of rooms available to rent has also fallen for the first time in three years, with a 3.2% decline compared to the same period last year. This reverses a period of growth in supply, which had increased by 8.7% in Q2 2025, 24.2% in Q2 2024, and 15% in Q2 2023.
The average cost of renting a room in the UK now stands at £761 per month, which is 0.5% higher than a year ago and nearly 7% higher than three years ago. The South West saw the largest annual regional rent increase at 1.6%, while East Anglia experienced the strongest growth over the past three years, with rents rising 9.9%. Greater London was the only region to record an annual decline, with average room rents falling by 0.2% to £915 per month.
Among the UK nations, Northern Ireland recorded the strongest annual increase in room rents, up 3.8% to an average of £580 per month. Over the past three years, rents in Northern Ireland have risen by 12%. Scotland saw a 1.1% annual increase to £698 per month, and Wales recorded a 1% rise to £594. In England, average room rents increased by 0.5% to £767.
At the city level, Norwich had the steepest annual increase in room rents, with prices rising 5.1% to £619 per month. Exeter followed with a 4.9% increase, and Liverpool saw rents climb 4.4% to a record £556 per month. Coventry experienced a 4.1% rise, and Milton Keynes saw a 1.7% increase to £686 per month.
London remains the UK’s most expensive city for flatshares, with average room rents at £979 per month. Edinburgh (£834) and Oxford (£814) are also among the most expensive markets. Lincoln is the cheapest city for renters, with average room rents of £510 per month, despite a 4% annual fall. Swansea (£532) and Sheffield (£533) are also among the most affordable locations. Sheffield’s rents matched the record high first reached in Q3 2025 and were 1.4% higher than a year earlier.
Source: Mortgage Strategy