Date Published 05 March 2026
Recent figures from the HomeLet Rental Index suggest that rental growth across the UK is beginning to stabilise after several years of strong increases.
According to the latest data, the average UK rent in February 2026 was £1,301, a slight dip of 0.1% from January, when the average stood at £1,302. While this is a very small month-to-month change, it does suggest that the rapid rent rises seen over the last few years are starting to slow.
Year-on-year, rents are still higher.
The average UK rent in February 2025 was £1,275, meaning rents have increased around 2.0% over the past 12 months.
What's Happening Outside London
When London is removed from the figures, the picture becomes even clearer.
Across the rest of the UK, the average rent is now £1,120, which is £2 higher than last month and 1.8% higher than a year ago, according to HomeLet.
Meanwhile in London, rents have actually fallen for the fourth consecutive month, dropping to £2,067, which is 0.5% lower than January.
This means the overall national figures are being balanced out by a mixture of small increases and small decreases across different regions.
What This Means for the Rental Market
Carrie Alliston of HomeLet and Let Alliance explains that the rental market isn't necessarily declining — it's simply changing pace.
She notes that the slowdown isn't primarily about falling rents, but rather about properties taking slightly longer to let than they did during the peak demand period.
Another important indicator is affordability. HomeLet reports that the average proportion of income spent on rent is now 30.9%, which has only increased by 0.1% since November.
This suggests that tenants are becoming more cautious about affordability and long-term sustainability when choosing a property.
What Poole Landlords Should Be Watching
Here in Poole and the BH15 / BH16 area, we're still seeing strong demand for good quality rental homes, particularly family houses and well-presented flats in desirable locations.
However, the national trend reflects something we're also seeing locally:
Properties are still letting, but not always as quickly as they did during the post-pandemic surge
Correct pricing is becoming more important than simply pushing rents higher.
Well-presented homes with realistic rents attract the strongest tenant demand
. With the Renters' Rights Act approaching, stability in the rental market is likely to become even more important for landlords.
The focus is increasingly shifting towards:
securing reliable long-term tenants
ensuring properties are compliant
and setting sustainable rents that tenants can comfortably afford
.
My Advice for Poole Landlords
From what we're seeing locally, the landlords who continue to perform well in the current market are those who focus on long-term stability rather than chasing short-term rent spikes.
A well-priced property, presented properly and marketed professionally, will still attract strong tenant demand in Poole.
If you're a landlord in Poole and would like an up-to-date rental valuation or advice on positioning your property in the current market, feel free to get in touch with us at Lewis Dean Letting Agents.
