Renters face squeeze as prices hit £986 a month
By Laura Linham 31st May 2026
Average private rents in Somerset have climbed to £986 a month, piling fresh pressure on tenants across the county.
The Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, that rents in Somerset were up 4.1% in the year to April.
That means the average monthly rent has risen from £948 in April 2025.
The increase was lower than the wider South West rise of 5.1%, but still leaves renters paying an average of £38 more a month than a year ago.
Propertymark chief executive Nathan Emerson said the figures showed "the continuing imbalance between tenant demand and the supply of homes available to rent".
He said: "Rents are still moving upwards because supply remains constrained in many local markets.
"Agents on the ground continue to report strong competition for good-quality rental homes, particularly for family properties and homes close to transport links and employment hubs."
He added that many landlords were still weighing up rising costs, taxation and regulation, limiting the number of homes coming onto the market.
Mr Emerson said: "What we are seeing is a supply issue rather than excessive demand."
The Somerset figures show how sharply costs rise with property size.
The average rent for a one-bedroom home in the county is now £671 a month.
A two-bedroom property averages £886, while a three-bedroom home is now £1,101.
For homes with four or more bedrooms, the average rent is £1,576.
House prices were steadier.
The average Somerset house price was £279,000 in March 2026, described as similar to the figure for March 2025.
Across the South West, there was also little change in average house prices over the same period.
First-time buyers in Somerset paid an average of £230,000 in March 2026.
For homes bought with a mortgage, the average price was £275,000.
Nationally, average UK monthly private rents rose by 3.5% to £1,381 in the 12 months to April 2026.
Average UK house prices were unchanged at £268,000 in the 12 months to March 2026.
The ONS said the UK house price figure was provisional and subject to revision.
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