Rightmove’s October 2025 rental update reported further increases in advertised rents. This archive report was reviewed on 15 October 2026. Its figures describe the earlier reporting period, not the rent a property would achieve today.
What the report measured
The Q3 2025 table put average asking rent outside London at £1,385 a month, up 1.5% on the quarter and 3.1% annually. Greater London’s figure was £2,736, with quarterly growth of 0.9% and annual growth of 1.6%.
The distinction between asking rent and rent actually agreed matters. These figures describe advertised property, rather than every existing household’s payment. The outside-London figure also needs that geographical label; presenting it as an average including London would change its meaning.
Build a useful local comparison
When considering an individual property, begin with comparable homes in the same neighbourhood. Record the date of each listing, the number of bedrooms, furnishing and any bills included. Note material differences instead of placing unlike properties in one undifferentiated list.
Keep asking prices separate from confirmed letting evidence. If an agent provides a rental estimate, ask which recent examples support it and how closely they match the property. A clear comparison is more useful than selecting the highest advertised number and treating it as a guaranteed outcome.
For a tenant, the same exercise can help frame questions at a viewing. Ask what the quoted payment includes and identify costs that require a separate budget.
Use historical data for context
An archive provides a reference point for understanding how market commentary developed. It should not replace current evidence or the legal process governing a particular tenancy. A market average does not itself establish permission for a rent increase.
Property Perpetuity’s reading of the report is therefore deliberately limited: the figures show what Rightmove recorded for that period. Before setting expectations now, update the local comparison, check the tenancy rules and distinguish a proposed amount from an agreed payment.