Rents Finally Stop Rising - Has the Rental Market Turned?

28th April 2026

Rents Finally Stop Rising — Has the Rental Market Turned?

You know, for ages, it feels like we’ve all gotten used to seeing rents creeping up and up. But guess what? Something shifted in April. Rightmove actually shared that average private rents across Great Britain stopped rising for the first time since way back in 2017! How about that?

And get this – a whopping 26% of rental listings actually dropped their asking price. That’s the biggest chunk we’ve seen since Rightmove started keeping tabs on it in 2012.

So, what’s the scoop? It really comes down to affordability. For a few years there, we had way more people looking for homes than available places. Renters were just starting to hit their limits on what they could manage. At the same time, we’re seeing a bit more supply out there, with about 3% more properties available compared to last year.

Now, that doesn't mean it's suddenly a walk in the park for everyone. In lots of our favourite spots, demand is still buzzing, and good places still get snapped up pretty quickly. But, we're definitely seeing the scales starting to tip a little.

And April was a big deal for another reason too. The Renters’ Rights Act was just around the corner, set to really shake things up for renting in England starting May 1st. We heard about some landlords giving last-minute notices before the new rules kicked in. For us responsible landlords, April was more about getting ready than anything else. It felt like the rental market was getting more competitive for us, just as the rules of the game were changing.

Our Perspective

It really feels like those days of just hiking up rents year after year might be winding down in some areas. Now, more than ever, it’s super important to price things right, keep our properties in tip-top shape, and really get what our lovely tenants are looking for. We’re big believers that the best rentals are all about great communication and solid management – looking after both our landlords and our tenants!