The latest Goodlord Rental Index reports that last month, the average cost of rent in England reached an all-time high.
The index has tracked new tenancy contracts across the country since January 2019 and its July 2025 figures show a national average rent of £1,496 for the month.
This surpasses the previous record of £1,470, set in July 2024, and reflects widespread rent rises across many regions – some being particularly steep.
The July 2025 average is an 18.3% rise from the previous month which equates to £231 more per month (£2,772 annually) than those who signed contracts in June. This repeats the similar surge in demand between June and July 2024.
July remains a particularly active month, with established education-related reasons – finding the right home before the new academic year starts, undergraduates looking for homes near their college/university, and postgraduates moving closer to new places of work.
There’s also the marked shift resulting from the pandemic, where the end of lockdown saw a sharp spike in activity resulting in more tenancy renewals now taking place in summertime.
Regional month-on-month increases in the July 2025 vary dramatically. Rents in the North West surged upwards by 42%, while the South West recorded a 34% jump. In the North East, average rental prices rose by 27%. The lowest monthly increases were in London, up by 4%, and the South East, rising by 6% rise.
On a year-to-year basis, annual rent increases have been losing momentum throughout 2025. The latest year-on-year rise stood at 1.8% (from £1,470 in July 2024 to £1,496 in July 2025). The annual rise in February 2025 was considerably higher at 4%. Regional year-to-year figures for July 2025 range from slight annual decreases in the East Midlands and South West (1% and 1.6% respectively), while the West Midlands is highest (over 6%), followed by Greater London (nearly 5%).
Meanwhile, void periods also dropped sharply in July 2025, with the average time a property standing empty between tenancies fell from 20 days in June to 12 days in July – a reduction of 40% and close to that of July 2024 (11 days). Notable regional performances include the North West (falling from 22 days in June to just 5 days in July, a 77% decrease), the North East (from 20 days to seven, a 65% drop). In Greater London, the change in voids was more modest, falling from 16 days to 14.
William Reeve, chief executive officer of Goodlord, commented: “Across six years of operating the Index, we’ve never recorded a higher monthly rental average. Likewise, every month of 2025 has brought a softening of year-on-year rent inflation. So whilst the market continues to operate under intense pressure, the late autumn could bring something more predictable in terms of rents and voids.”
He added: “Throughout the year, the data has been pointing to two clear trends: firstly, that we were likely to see new rental records set over the summer and secondly, that the year-on-year pace of price increases overall is starting to slow. This month’s figures show both predictions coming to pass.”
