Gloomy forecast for tenants as rent rises set to speed up

The rising cost of renting a home in the UK has accelerated after a three-year slowdown - with tenants told to expect more pain to come.

Average rental costs for new tenancies were up 2.6% in July compared with a year earlier, according to property website Zoopla.

That remains lower than the rate of rising prices in general, but the property portal has forecast annual rent rises among privately rented homes will hit 4% or 5% by the end of the year.

It said there were fewer homes available to rent and - with potential first-time buyers put off by higher mortgage rates - competition for rental places in some areas was more intense.

"Our latest report shows how sensitive the rental market is to even modest changes in how many homes are available for rent," said Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla.

"Growing the number of homes for rent through increased investment is the most sustainable route to boosting choice for renters and ensuring stability in rent levels over the long run."

The Renters' Rights Act came into force in England at the start of May, and was described as the biggest shake-up of the sector in more than 30 years.

Separately, the rising cost of renting has calmed recently. It fell to a low of 1.6% in February, Zoopla data shows.