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.

1. Sheffield - up 10.6 per cent
The average asking price for monthly rent in Sheffield has shot up by 10.6 per cent, from £946 in the first quarter of 2024 to £1,046 in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from Rightmove. That's the 10th biggest increase of anywhere in England and Wales. | National World Photo: Gerard Binks

2. Birkenhead - up 11.2 per cent
The average asking price for monthly rent in Birkenhead, Merseyside, has risen by 11.2 per cent, from £686 in the first quarter of 2024 to £763 in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from Rightmove. That's the 9th biggest increase of anywhere in England and Wales. | Google Photo: Google

3. Carlisle - up 11.6 per cent
The average asking price for monthly rent in Carlisle, Cumbria, has risen by 11.6 per cent, from £610 in the first quarter of 2024 to £681 in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from Rightmove. That's the 8th biggest increase of anywhere in England and Wales. | Google Photo: Google

4. West Bromwich - up 11.9 per cent
The average asking price for monthly rent in West Bromwich has risen by 11.9 per cent, from £877 in the first quarter of 2024 to £981 in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from Rightmove. That's the 7th biggest increase of anywhere in England and Wales. | Google Photo: Google