After several years of rapid rental inflation, the UK lettings market has settled into a steadier — but still firmly positive — rhythm. The latest figures from the ONS, HomeLet, Rightmove and Hamptons, covering summer 2026, show rents continuing to climb, tenant demand holding up and the supply of homes to rent remaining tight. For landlords, the message is consistent: a well-managed rental property still delivers dependable, inflation-beating income.
Rents keep climbing, and the pace has picked up. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average UK private rent rose 3.7% in the 12 months to July 2026, reaching £1,393 a month. That is the fastest annual rate since December 2025 and an acceleration from the 3.3% recorded in June. HomeLet's August 2026 Rental Index tells a similar story, putting the average rent on a new UK tenancy at £1,382 — up 4.1% compared with August 2025.
London is leading the recovery in growth. HomeLet recorded an average London rent of £2,238 in August, up 5.1% year on year, while Rightmove's Q2 2026 Rental Price Tracker put London asking rents at a new record of £2,791 per calendar month — up 2.0% on the quarter and 2.9% annually, the fastest quarterly rise in the capital since 2023. The ONS also notes that London's annual rental inflation reached its highest level since October 2025.
Supply remains the landlord's tailwind. Rightmove reports that the number of homes available to rent fell for the first time since 2022, meaning tenants are once again competing for fewer properties. Tight supply has historically been the single biggest support for asking rents, and it helps explain why growth is holding up even as affordability pressures build.
The opportunity stretches well beyond the capital. HomeLet's August data shows robust annual growth across the country:
- South West: average rent £1,264, up 5.2% year on year
- Northern Ireland: £987, up 4.9%
- Scotland: £1,064, up 4.2%
- East Midlands: £938, up 3.8%
Void periods remain manageable. Goodlord's Rental Index puts the average void in England at around three weeks, with London the quickest to re-let at roughly 17 days in spring — though voids have lengthened slightly from the exceptionally tight levels of 2025. Pricing competitively remains the best defence against a property sitting empty.
A more sustainable pace of growth. Rental inflation has cooled from the double-digit rates of 2022–2024, and some affordability ceilings are now visible — Rightmove notes that annual growth has slowed sharply in places as tenants reach the limit of what they can pay. Zoopla expects rental inflation of roughly 2% to 3% for the rest of 2026. For landlords this is broadly good news: growth at a measured, predictable pace is easier to plan around than a boom-and-bust cycle, and it remains comfortably ahead of the Bank of England's 2% inflation target.
What this means for landlords. The fundamentals remain favourable: rising rents, persistent demand and constrained supply. The landlords who benefit most are those who keep properties well-maintained, compliant and sensibly priced, which protects against longer void periods and keeps the best tenants renewing. With rents still outpacing general inflation in several measures, buy-to-let remains a credible source of long-term income growth.
经过数年租金快速上涨后，英国租赁市场已进入一个更平稳、但仍保持正增长的节奏。英国国家统计局（ONS）、HomeLet、Rightmove 与 Hamptons 覆盖 2026 年夏季的最新数据显示：租金持续攀升、租客需求保持旺盛、可供出租房源依旧紧张。对房东而言，信息始终如一——管理得当的出租物业仍能带来可靠且跑赢通胀的租金收入。
租金持续上涨，且增速有所回升。 据英国国家统计局（ONS）数据，截至 2026 年 7 月的 12 个月内，英国平均私人租金上涨 3.7%，达到每月 £1,393，为 2025 年 12 月以来的最快年度涨幅，并较 6 月的 3.3% 有所加快。HomeLet 2026 年 8 月租金指数也印证了这一趋势，英国新出租房产的平均租金为 £1,382，同比上涨 4.1%。
伦敦再次领跑增长。 HomeLet 数据显示，8 月伦敦平均租金为 £2,238，同比上涨 5.1%；Rightmove 2026 年第二季度租金价格追踪显示，伦敦挂牌租金创下每月 £2,791 的新纪录，环比上涨 2.0%、同比上涨 2.9%，为 2023 年以来伦敦最大季度涨幅。ONS 亦指出，伦敦年度租金通胀率达到 2025 年 10 月以来的最高水平。
供应紧张仍是房东的顺风。 Rightmove 报告称，可供出租的房源数量自 2022 年以来首次下降，意味着租客再次争抢更少的房源。供应紧张历来是支撑挂牌租金的最大因素，这也解释了为何在可负担性压力上升之际，租金增长依然坚挺。
机会远不止于伦敦。 HomeLet 8 月数据显示，全英各地均录得稳健的年度增长：
- 西南地区：平均租金 £1,264，同比上涨 5.2%
- 北爱尔兰：£987，同比上涨 4.9%
- 苏格兰：£1,064，同比上涨 4.2%
- 东米德兰兹：£938，同比上涨 3.8%
空置期仍然可控。 Goodlord 租金指数显示，英格兰平均空置期约为三周，其中伦敦周转最快，春季仅约 17 天即可重新出租——不过相较 2025 年异常紧张的时期，空置期已略有延长。合理定价仍是避免物业空置的最佳防线。
增长步伐更趋可持续。 租金通胀已从 2022–2024 年的两位数增速回落，部分可负担性上限开始显现——Rightmove 指出，随着租客逼近支付极限，部分地区的年度增速已明显放缓。Zoopla 预计 2026 年剩余时间租金通胀率约为 2% 至 3%。对房东而言这大体是好消息：以适度、可预测的速度增长，比暴涨暴跌的周期更容易规划，且仍明显高于英格兰银行 2% 的通胀目标。
这对房东意味着什么。 基本面依然有利：租金上涨、需求持续、供应受限。受益最大的，是那些将物业维护良好、合规经营且定价合理的房东——这能避免较长的空置期，并让优质租客乐于续租。鉴于租金增速在多项指标中仍跑赢整体通胀，买房出租依旧是可信赖的长期收入增长来源。