UK tenants have faced rent increases of up to 72% in some areas over the past decade according to fresh research from Tlyfe, the tenant lifecycle app launched by OpenBrix.

Leading the charge in this relentless rental escalation is Salford, where the average rent has skyrocketed by an eye-watering 72.4% in just 10 years.

Delving into the latest figures from Gov UK, Tlyfe’s study pinpoints the regions where tenants have been hit hardest by soaring rental prices. The nationwide picture is equally alarming: in England, rents have surged by 44.4%, pushing the average monthly payment to a hefty £1,369. Meanwhile, Wales has not fared much better, with a near-identical jump of 43.9%, bringing the typical rent there to £777 per month.

Regionally, the East Midlands has borne the brunt of the steepest increase, recording a staggering 51.8% rise—outpacing even the capital, where London’s rental market climbed 40.9%. The East of England wasn’t spared either, with costs climbing by 50.4%, while tenants in the North East faced the least severe, albeit still significant, increase of 33%.

Zooming in on local hotspots, Salford reigns supreme with its astronomical rental inflation, closely trailed by Leicester, where tenants now contend with a 70.7% price hike. Other regions grappling with similar upward spirals include Folkestone and Hythe (69.1%), South Gloucestershire (69%), and Thanet (67.4%).

Noteworthy mentions also go to Bristol (66.1%), Manchester (64.9%), Ipswich (64.5%), Tameside (64.5%), and Stevenage (64.1%)—all experiencing rent hikes that have fundamentally reshaped their local housing markets.

In London, Brent has emerged as the borough facing the steepest rental ascent, with prices ballooning by 58.4%, placing it 25th on the overall ranking.

Yet, while every single market across England and Wales has seen an uptick in rental costs, Hartlepool stands as an outlier with the lowest recorded increase, at a comparatively modest 14.3%.

Addressing this unrelenting upward trend, Adam Pigott, CEO of OpenBrix, remarked: “The cost of renting has only gone one way over the last decade – and that’s up.

“Such is the consistent and overwhelming demand for rental properties that we find ourselves facing a severe crisis across the sector and one of the key factors causing this crisis is a lack of available homes to meet demand.”

Pigott further underscored the dire situation, adding: “Unfortunately, it doesn’t look as though this market imbalance is set to be addressed anytime soon and, if anything, we’ve seen more landlords exit the sector due to consistent legislative changes implemented by the government.

“It’s the nation’s renters who are left to face the consequences and, for many, the cost of residing within the private rental sector is simply too high, whilst those who are able to stomach it are severely hindered from saving and making the jump to homeownership.”

With demand for rental properties outstripping supply and landlords withdrawing from the market, the outlook remains bleak for tenants already struggling under the weight of escalating rents. The question remains: how much higher can they go before breaking point is reached?