How Much Rent Can I Charge?
The average private rent for the local authority, by bedroom count, for the latest month ONS has published — so you can anchor a figure in the local market rather than guessing at it.
What these figures are, and what they are not
These are average private rents for the local authority, from the ONS Price Index of Private Rents — the official monthly series, built from rents on existing tenancies as well as new lets. Because a sitting tenant's rent usually lags the market, a home advertised today typically asks more than this average. ONS publishes an average for each bedroom count and how it has moved over the year; it does not publish a median or a range.
They are not a valuation of a specific property. A local authority can cover both a city centre and a village twenty miles away, and condition, furnishing, parking, garden, EPC rating and the exact street all move a figure above or below the average. Treat the average as the anchor, not the answer.
Frequently asked questions
How much rent can I charge for my property?
Start from the average for your bedroom count in the local authority, then adjust for condition and location. The average includes long-running tenancies whose rents have lagged the market, so a new let in ordinary condition usually advertises somewhat above it; a refurbished flat near a station sits higher still, a dated property on the edge of the area lower. Advertising far above the local market usually means longer void periods, which cost more than the extra rent earns.
Is there a legal limit on what I can charge?
No. England and Wales have no rent caps for new private tenancies — you can advertise at any figure the market will bear. What is regulated is how and when you raise rent during an existing tenancy, which depends on the tenancy type and the notice procedure you follow.
Why is my area's figure higher or lower than I expected?
The figures are local-authority averages, so a large or mixed authority averages across very different neighbourhoods — and across existing tenancies as well as new lets, which pulls the figure below what new listings ask. If your postcode sits in an unusually expensive or cheap part of the authority, expect the local figure to sit well away from the average.
Which areas are covered?
England and Wales. The ONS Price Index of Private Rents publishes local-authority figures for both. Scotland and Northern Ireland are published only by broad rental market area, which does not map onto a council, so they are not covered here.
Letting out a property?
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An estimate, not a professional valuation. For a mortgage or for legal purposes you will need a RICS-accredited surveyor.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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