Andy Halstead, chief executive at HomeLet & Let Alliance, said, “2021 has been a strange year, with the effects of the pandemic still being seen across the housing market."
The average rent in the UK is now £1,058, down £1 from last month’s price, according to the HomeLet rental index.
Excluding London, the average rent in the UK is now £889, up by 0.1% on last month and average rents in London were £1,757, a slight 0.1% decrease in price from October’s average.
On a regional basis, Yorkshire & Humberside saw the most significant monthly rise, a 1.2% climb to an average price of £736.
Andy Halstead, chief executive at HomeLet & Let Alliance, said: “2021 has been a strange year, with the effects of the pandemic still being seen across the housing market.
"Despite the disruption and uncertainty we’ve all seen this year, we have referenced almost a million tenants, which highlights the considerable level of demand we’re still seeing.
"People still need and want to move home, and the lettings industry’s role, including letting agents, has been invaluable in making this happen.
“The private rented sector has remained exceptionally resilient, and demand for property has remained high, something we expect to continue seeing as we shortly say goodbye to 2021 and look forwards to the opportunities 2022 will bring.
“The UK needs landlords; if demand continues to outstrip supply, then prices can only go up.
"Typically, we might see a rise in rental prices for desirable or emerging areas, but high demand has been seen for some time now, and that applies to practically every area of the UK.
"With fewer new properties coming up to rent when compared to pre-pandemic levels, we can expect the trends we see continuing throughout 2022.”
