Rent in Central Bedfordshire rises by 32% in 5 years
Rent in Central Bedfordshire rose 5% over the past year, new figures show – and an estimaged 32% in five years.
Propertymark, a membership organisation for estate agents, warned "there remains an unhealthy imbalance" between rental supply and demand.
Provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics show the average private rent in Central Bedfordshire reached £1,215 per month in the year to November – up 5% from £1,152 a year prior. It was also up 32% from an estimated £918 a month five years ago.
Valuation Office Agency rent officers collect prices from a variety of sources, including landlords and letting agents, with the aim to collect data on approximately 10% of the market.
Across the East of England, the average rent was £1,261 – rising 5% from the year before.
St Albans had the highest rental cost in the region at £1,895 per month, while the lowest was in Great Yarmouth at £793.
In November, the average private rent in Great Britain was £1,377 per month. This was £57, or 4%, higher than 12 months ago.
Nathan Emerson, chief executive of Propertymark, said: "Though it might be disappointing for many to see that rents on average have increased overall, it is encouraging to see that through 2025, we have witnessed rental inflation trending downwards.
"There remains an unhealthy imbalance between rental supply and demand, however, which continues to contribute to rental prices edging upwards.
"It has been positive to see attention focused on ensuring higher standards and greater consumer protection for those who choose to rent during the year; however, it also remains fundamentally important that investment is encouraged to keep pace with ever-growing demand, as the population continues to expand."
The figures also show the different costs for various homes in Central Bedfordshire, from £839 for a one-bed property to £1,993 for a home with four or more bedrooms in November.
Among the property types in the area:
> A detached house cost £1,714 to rent per month
> A semi-detached cost £1,312 per month
> A terraced house was £1,170 per month
> And a flat or maisonette was £964 a month