How to compare your rent with similar homes

To check whether a rent increase looks fair, you need to compare the proposed rent with similar homes. This sounds simple, but weak comparisons can give a misleading picture.

A good comparison is not just “another rental property nearby”. It needs to be similar enough to help estimate the open market rent for your home.

Check your rent increase for free to compare your proposed rent with local market evidence where suitable comparables are available.

Start with the same market

Begin with property type and number of bedrooms.

A one-bedroom flat should usually be compared with other one-bedroom flats. A three-bedroom semi-detached house should usually be compared with other three-bedroom houses. A room in a shared house is a different market from a self-contained flat.

This matters because different types of homes attract different renters and different rents. Comparing unlike properties can make a rent look fair or unfair when the evidence is not really testing the same thing.

For example, a two-bedroom flat and a two-bedroom terraced house may both have two bedrooms, but the house may have a garden, private entrance or more storage. Those differences can affect rent.

Use location carefully

Local area matters, but “local” is not always simple.

In some places, similar rents may be found within a small radius. In other places, especially rural areas or smaller towns, you may need to look more widely because there are fewer properties available.

When you look wider, ask whether the wider area is still comparable. Does it have similar transport links? Similar demand? Similar access to schools, shops or employers? Is it a cheaper or more expensive part of the area?

A property five miles away can sometimes be a better comparison than one half a mile away if it is more similar in type and setting. But the wider you go, the more explanation you may need.

Check the details that change rent

Once you have similar property type, bedrooms and location, look at the features.

Important differences include:

• condition and recent refurbishment
• garden or balcony
• parking
• furniture
• energy performance
• floor level for flats
• access to shared facilities
• pets allowed or restrictions
• whether bills or Council Tax are included

These differences do not make a comparable useless. They help explain why one rent may be higher or lower.

For example, if a comparable property is £100 more per month but includes parking and your home does not, that difference matters. If a comparable is cheaper but is in poor condition, it may not prove your proposed rent is too high.

Understand asking rents and achieved rents

Many people use online listings because they are easy to find. These are usually asking rents. They show what a landlord or agent is trying to achieve, not always what a tenant eventually pays.

Asking rents are still useful because they show the current advertised market. But they are not perfect. A property may be reduced later, let at a different figure or stay online after it has gone.

This is why it helps to use several comparables, not just one. A single listing can be unusual. Several similar listings give a better picture.

Keep a simple evidence record

For each comparable, record:

• monthly rent
• property type
• bedrooms
• location or area
• date found
• link or screenshot
• key similarities
• key differences

This turns a set of listings into evidence. It also helps you explain your reasoning.

Instead of saying “I found cheaper homes”, you can say “I found three two-bedroom flats within the same area, all advertised between £950 and £1,000 per month. They are similar because they have the same bedroom count and are close to the property. One includes parking, so I have treated that one carefully.”

That kind of explanation is more useful and more credible.

How UpRently helps with comparisons

UpRently reduces the manual work by checking your proposed rent against available local market data. It uses your postcode, property type and bedrooms to look for suitable comparables.

The confidence rating is important. If there are enough suitable comparables, the result is stronger. If there are not, the checker will not pretend there is a reliable comparison.

The Evidence Pack gives you a structured record of the comparables and method used. It helps you understand the evidence, but you should still review it and think about any differences that may affect your home.

What to read next

• Is my rent increase fair?
• What evidence helps with a rent increase challenge?
• What if there are not enough comparable rents?
• How to check market rent for a private rented home in England
• Rent increase percentage: is 10%, 20% or 30% too much?