Average private rents in Great Britain have flatlined for the first time in nearly a decade, with typical advertised monthly rents outside London holding steady at £1,370 in the first quarter of 2026, according to property website Rightmove. The halt in growth reflects stretched affordability, with roughly 26% of rental listings being reduced in price — the highest share recorded since 2012 — as lower tenant demand and a modest increase in available properties ease competition. The figures emerge ahead of the Renters' Rights Act taking effect on 1 May 2026, which will abolish so-called "no-fault" evictions in England, though Rightmove found no evidence of a surge in new listings by landlords rushing to remove tenants before the law changes.