The official numbers still say the North East and North West are where UK rents are rising fastest. The rents being asked on new listings say that lead is fading, and that the momentum has moved to the Midlands and Scotland.
Two ways to measure rent
The ONS Price Index of Private Rents tracks what tenants actually pay, across new and existing tenancies. In the 12 months to August 2026 it put annual rent growth at 5.8% in both the North East and the North West.
Asking rents on new listings move first, because they price the next tenancy rather than the last one. For July to September 2026 they tell a different story.
The North is cooling at the front door
- North West: annual growth in new-listing asking rents slowed from 4.1% last quarter to 2.6% this quarter. Asking rents rose just 0.8% over the quarter, the slowest of any region, to £1,273 a month.
- North East: annual growth slowed from 4.1% to 3.5%. Asking rents rose 1.1% over the quarter, to £983 a month.
Where the momentum went
The fastest quarterly rises in asking rents were in the East Midlands (up 2.2% to £1,244 a month), Scotland (up 2.1% to £1,160), the South West (up 1.9% to £1,532) and the West Midlands (up 1.8% to £1,284). Across Great Britain outside London, the average asking rent reached a record £1,418 a month. London rose 1.2% to £2,825.
What to expect
Asking rents on new North East listings now sit 25% above the average rent tenants actually pay. The official index catches up with new lets over time, so expect official northern growth to cool over the next few releases.
Sources
- Asking rents: average asking rents on new listings, Great Britain, July to September 2026, not seasonally adjusted.
- Achieved rents: ONS Price Index of Private Rents, all tenancies, 12 months to August 2026, published 16 September 2026.
- Analysis by Bricksmart.