Rents increased across most of England and Wales in April

Monthly rents continued to increase in most of England and Wales in April with decreases in the North East and South West, the latest monthly index shows.

The most expensive rents are in London at £1,652 per month, followed by the South East at £1,009 then the South West at £867, according to the index from lettings platform Goodlord.

Elsewhere the average rent is £832 in the East Midlands, £774 in the North West, £770 in Wales, £699 in the West Midlands and £618 in the North East.

The index also reports that it is taking about three weeks to fill empty properties across all of the regions with an average voidage period of 21 days.

Voidage periods are the longest in the West Midlands at 31 days, an increase of 10 days since March and the shortest are in London, at just 12 days. Elsewhere the voidage periods are 28 days in the East Midlands, 26 in the North East, 20 in the South East and the South West, and 17 in the North West and Wales.

London has the longest average fixed term tenancies, at 14 months, which is two months longer than the nearest region, the South East. Wales has 11 months, the North East has 10 months, the East Midlands, West Midlands and the South West at nine months, and the North West eight months.

The North West and Wales were the most affordable regions for renters in April. Affordability is defined as a tenant’s yearly income divided by their yearly rent share. London and the South of England are still the most unaffordable regions for renters.