A severe rental crisis in Great Britain is seeing tenants allocate a record 44% of their average wage to rent
Figures released by UK property portal Rightmove say that the average advertised private rent for properties outside London surged to a new high of £1,385 per month in the third quarter of 2025.
The figure represents a significant increase from five years ago when rent consumed 40% of the average wage, highlighting a rapidly deteriorating affordability landscape for British tenants.
Aaron Robertson, Lecturer in Supply Chain, Procurement & Project Management at the University of Salford, said:
“People are increasingly renting and the supply of affordable homes to buy is insufficient. As rental prices continue to rise, the volume and affordability of new homes have not kept pace. As a result, many people can now neither afford to buy nor rent. There remains limited market stimulus for first-time buyers along with the broader financial uncertainty. These buyers, who support demand, lack incentives to purchase, which prevents movement up and down the housing ladder and contributes to market stagnation. This stagnation is likely to further increase pressure on the rental market.
“While rental properties and new-build homes operate through distinct processes, both are failing to function effectively in isolation. The sector currently lacks a coherent, overarching strategy. While incentives such as unlocking planning will help, they will not resolve the underlying systemic inefficiencies in the construction and delivery process. Achieving the necessary scale demands genuine process innovation. Without a clear, integrated strategy, rising demand will quickly outpace supply and place further strain the housing system.”
