Rents across the UK rose by 5 percent year on year in October, holding at that level for the second month in a row, according to the latest Goodlord Rental Index published on 4 November. The average rent reached £1,592 per property, up from £1,516 in October 2025, leaving tenants paying £912 more per year.
The pace of monthly growth cooled even as every region recorded a rise. Rents increased by 0.6 percent between September and October, down from 0.9 percent the previous month, while the average void period stretched to 28 days, up from 20 days in September and well above the 21 days seen at the same point last year.
Sticky annual inflation alongside lengthening voids suggests a market heading into its usual winter slowdown with unusual force still behind headline rents. With wider UK inflation at 3.6 percent, rent rises continue to outpace general price growth, keeping pressure on tenant budgets at the same time as longer gaps between tenancies start to test landlord cash flow.
Wales and North East lead annual rises
Wales posted the sharpest annual increase at 7 percent, while rents in England were up by 5.7 percent and Scotland recorded the most modest rise at 2.7 percent. Every region recorded year-on-year growth with the exception of the East of England, which slipped by 0.3 percent.
The North East once again produced the most striking regional figure, with rents up 14.2 percent on the year. Averages in the region climbed from £881 to £1,007, adding £1,512 a year to tenant bills. Yorkshire and the Humber also ran hot, with annual growth of 8.7 percent. The 5 percent national figure matches September and sits well above the 3.1 percent annual rise recorded by the index in October 2025.
Monthly growth cools as voids lengthen
Yorkshire and the Humber led monthly gains at 2.1 percent, reversing the previous month’s dip, followed by the North West at 1.2 percent – though that was well below the 3.1 percent jump the region recorded in September. The sharpest slowdowns came where September had been strongest: the North East rose by just 0.7 percent after a 5.6 percent leap, while the South West slowed to 0.4 percent from 2.5 percent. The full regional breakdown is available in the Goodlord Rental Index.
Void periods told the cooler story. The UK average of 28 days compared with 20 in September. London recorded the shortest voids at 25 days, while Wales had the longest at 34 days, followed by Yorkshire and the Humber at 32. The North East swung from void periods of just 11 days in September to 28 days in October.
Reeve points to Renters’ Rights Act effects
William Reeve, chief executive of Goodlord, said the headline figures showed rental inflation continuing apace and putting the squeeze on tenant incomes. “As predicted, we believe that this rental inflation is an unintended consequence of the Renters’ Rights Act; factors including the ban on over-bidding and annual rent reviews are combining to push up rents, compounded by continuing constraints on supply,” he said.
Reeve said the underlying measures pointed to a cooler few months ahead, with monthly rises losing heat and voids starting to lengthen. “The winter is often the slowest period of the year for the lettings market, although this seasonal predictability has been clouded by a range of impacting factors over the last year, namely the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act,” he said. His reading echoes Hamptons data showing rent increases falling back after the Renters’ Rights Act launch, a sign that the reform is reshaping how rents move even where the direction differs by measure.
Goodlord said recent methodology changes weight the index by property mix and region, closer to ONS practice, so moves reflect genuine price changes.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s June report on surging rental inflation, which found rents jumping 6.5 percent as annual growth hit a near two-year high. October’s steady 5 percent suggests that summer surge has levelled off rather than reversed, while the sharp lengthening in voids marks a clear seasonal shift that was absent from the June data.
What this means for landlords
- If you are setting rents this winter: headline demand still supports current levels, but lengthening voids argue against pricing above achieved local rents.
- Watch for: void drift through November and December, so budget for gaps of 28 days or more rather than September’s 20.
- Bottom line: price to let quickly instead of chasing the 5 percent headline, since an extra week empty wipes out a year of inflation-linked uplift.
Editor’s view
Two months at 5 percent with voids jumping by eight days is a market sending mixed messages. The annual figure reassures, the voids warn. Landlords who treat winter as a time to keep good tenants rather than test higher rents will come out ahead.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 05 November 2026
Sources: Goodlord Rental Index
Related reading: Goodlord: rents jump 6.5% in June as annual inflation hits near two-year high
