Average asking prices for monthly rent have shot up by more than 10 per cent in some towns and cities, according to the latest figures from Rightmove.
The average asking rent for a property outside Greater London now stands at £1,349 a month - up by 4.5 per cent from this time last year.
Within London, landlords are asking for a monthly rent of £2,698 on average, following an annual increase of 2.5 per cent.
The increase in rental costs has easily outpaced the rise in the cost of buying a house, with the average asking price for a property having risen by just 1.3 per cent during the same period.
Rightmove’s figures do show that the rental market could be cooling, however, with the average number of enquiries per property having dropped from 16 this time last year to 12, and a quarter of rental properties seeing a reduction in the asking price.
The Rightmove Rental Trends Tracker shows the rental ‘hotspots’ across England and Wales where the average asking price for rent has shot up most over the past year, by as much as 16.1 per cent in one case.
Below are the towns and cities where the cost of renting has risen most between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, listed in reverse order.

5. Grimsby - up 12.0 per cent
The average asking price for monthly rent in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, has risen by 12.0 per cent, from £572 in the first quarter of 2024 to £641 in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from Rightmove. That's the 6th biggest increase of anywhere in England and Wales. | OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images Photo: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

6. Milton Keynes - up 12.7 per cent
The average asking price for monthly rent in Milton Keynes has risen by 12.7 per cent, from £1,269 in the first quarter of 2024 to £1,429 in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from Rightmove. That's the 5th biggest increase of anywhere in England and Wales. | Google Photo: Google

7. Newcastle-under-Lyme - up 13.8 per cent
The average asking price for monthly rent in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, has risen by 13.8 per cent, from £758 in the first quarter of 2024 to £863 in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from Rightmove. That's the 4th biggest increase of anywhere in England and Wales. | Google Photo: Google

8. Coventry - up 14.1 per cent
The average asking price for monthly rent in Coventry has risen by 14.1 per cent, from £1,011 in the first quarter of 2024 to £1,153 in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from Rightmove. That's the 3rd biggest increase of anywhere in England and Wales. | Google Photo: Google