At first glance, the last decade looks brutal for tenants. Rents across the UK have surged, in some cases by hundreds of pounds a month. Inner London now sits above £3,000, and even traditionally more affordable regions have pushed past the £1,000 mark.
But here is where the story gets interesting.
Strip out inflation, which has totalled 39.8% since 2016, and the picture changes quite dramatically. Not every region has kept pace. In fact, some have quietly fallen behind. Outer London (+17%), the South East (+21%), and the North East (+25%) have all seen rental growth that lags behind inflation, so in real terms, tenants are effectively better off.
Contrast that with areas like the North West (+58%), Scotland (+51%), and the South West (+50%), where rental growth has comfortably outpaced inflation. These are not random spikes. They tend to reflect local wage growth, lifestyle shifts, and demand patterns rather than pure landlord pricing power.
And that is the key point.
Rents do not exist in isolation. They are anchored to affordability, which is ultimately driven by local salaries. When you view the data through that lens, some of these increases look less dramatic, and some of the flatter regions start to make more sense.
The national headlines tell one story. The local market tells another.
If you want to understand what is really happening with rents in ROMFORD, and where they might go next, it is worth having that conversation.
Give our team a call at GBP Estates on 01708504455 or pop in for a chat at 35 Victoria Road Romford Essex RM1 2LH parking at front