Lomond says average monthly rents across its lettings network rose from £1,245 to £1,384 in the first quarter of 2026, with Kent leading regional growth after a 9% jump to £1,031.
The figures, published in the group’s Spring 2026 Quarterly Insights report, also show London rents at £2,339 a month – 69% above the UK average – while Yorkshire and the North West continued to post solid gains. The timing matters because the market is now trying to price in post-Renters’ Rights Act conditions without any meaningful relief on supply.
For landlords and investors, the key point is that rent growth has not disappeared. It has become more uneven, with stronger rises in selected regional markets and commuter belts even as affordability stays tight and political pressure on the sector remains high.
Kent leads as rents keep climbing across Lomond network
Lomond said the Home Counties recorded the strongest rise at the start of the year, with Kent up 9% to £1,031 per calendar month. The North West posted a 4% increase and Yorkshire rose 5%, while average rents in the Midlands climbed 3% to £990 and the South of England rose 2% to £1,309.
London remained in a different bracket altogether at £2,339 pcm. Lomond said Manchester was still one of the country’s most popular rental markets, with average rents there at £1,101, while Leeds and Sheffield continued to benefit from demand for well-located homes close to schools and amenities.
Ed Phillips, group chief executive of Lomond, said rising viewings and more letting appraisals showed that tenant demand remained strong while landlords continued to assess opportunities in a competitive market.
This follows Residential Landlord’s recent coverage of HomeLet’s latest rent increase, and Goodlord’s report that rental inflation stayed at a 10-month low. Lomond’s figures add another layer to that picture by showing landlords are still finding pricing power in local markets where demand is holding up.
Landlords still need to watch the local picture
The report does not support a simple national story. Some landlords will read the headline rise and assume rent setting has become easy again. It has not. Local affordability, stock quality and tenant churn still matter, and weaker wage growth will limit how far some markets can stretch.
Still, the data is a reminder that supply remains the main issue. Where homes are well located and properly presented, landlords are still in a stronger position than some of the softer national indices can imply.
The full findings are set out in Lomond’s Spring 2026 Quarterly Insights report.
Opinion
There is a temptation to treat every rent index as proof that the market is either booming or broken. The truth is rougher than that. Landlords who know their patch can still push rents, but the days of assuming every region moves in one direction at the same speed look increasingly over.
