Rent checker
The typical private rent for any area in England and Wales, by bedroom count, from the ONS's official rent statistics (August 2026edition). Add your own rent and see how it compares — whether you're a tenant weighing up an increase or a landlord setting a price.
Common questions
Is my rent too high?
Compare it with the typical (median) private rent for your area and property size — that's what this tool shows, from official ONS figures. Being above the median isn't automatically unfair: condition, exact street and bills-included deals all move the price. But if your rent, or a proposed increase, sits well above the typical figure for your size of home, that's the number to open a conversation — or a tribunal challenge — with.
How do I challenge a rent increase?
In England, a landlord must use a Section 13 notice (Form 4A) to raise the rent on a periodic tenancy, giving at least two months' notice. You can refer it to the First-tier Tribunal before the start date; the tribunal sets a market rent and cannot go above what the landlord proposed, and the increase can't be backdated. Our Section 13 guide walks through the process for both sides.
Where does the rent data come from?
The Office for National Statistics' Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), which publishes the median advertised private rent for every local authority in England and Wales, overall and by bedroom count. We refresh it as each monthly edition is published. It's the same official series journalists and the Bank of England quote.
Why does it show one figure for my whole council area?
The ONS publishes reliable medians at local-authority level. Within one council area rents vary a lot by neighbourhood and property condition, so treat the figure as a benchmark: a two-bed in the nicest ward will sit above it, the same flat on a main road below it. For street-level context, look at what's actually advertised near you.
I'm a landlord — should I charge the typical rent?
The median tells you the middle of the market, not your price. Setting rent well above it lengthens voids and invites tribunal challenges after the Renters' Rights Act; setting it well below leaves money on the table and can be hard to correct later, since increases now need proper Section 13 notice. Most experienced landlords price at or slightly under market for a good tenant who stays.
Source: ONS, Price Index of Private Rents — median advertised rents by local authority and bedroom count, refreshed monthly. General information, not advice on any individual tenancy.