UK rental price index: London
UK rental price index: London stood at 127.4 in Aug 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Private rents table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2015 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Private rents table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rental price index by region | |||||||||||
| London | 127.4 | 126.58 | 125.79 | 125.35 | 125.13 | 124.56 | 124.2 | 123.07 | 123.89 | 124.09 | |
| South East | 121.96 | 121.36 | 121.06 | 121.26 | 120.95 | 120.7 | 120.49 | 120.18 | 119.93 | 119.69 |
Understanding UK rental price index: London
Private residential tenancy contracts within the capital are aggregated to establish the trajectory of monthly lease costs against a standardised base period. The series evaluates administrative records and letting agent returns covering furnished and unfurnished properties throughout all constituent boroughs. Excluded from the compilation are corporate housing arrangements, student halls of residence, and social sector tenancies managed by local authorities or housing associations. Compared with other regional series in the table, this measure captures a markedly higher concentration of multi-room apartments and high-density housing types.
Interpreting the series requires caution regarding mix-adjustments, as shifts in the proportion of larger versus smaller properties coming to the market can influence the headline figure independently of underlying price changes. Analysts should focus on annual rates of change to bypass seasonal hiring and university-driven leasing spikes that distort short-term monthly comparisons. Revisions to early estimates occur periodically as additional administrative returns are integrated into the calculation engine.
Frequently asked questions
- What properties are excluded from the London rental index?
- Social housing, student accommodation, and corporate lets are omitted from the sample.
- Why do month-on-month figures require careful handling?
- Seasonal student influxes and academic calendar shifts create regular short-term volatility in leasing volumes.
- How does this series handle changes in property sizes over time?
- Statistical methods attempt to control for quality and size mix, ensuring pure price movements are tracked rather than shifts in the type of property rented.