Renting in England

Most landlords or letting agents run a credit check as part of tenant referencing. They typically see your credit report — including CCJs, defaults, and missed payments — rather than your actual score number. A soft search is usually used, so it won't affect your credit score.

Yes. Bad credit makes renting harder but not impossible. You can improve your chances by being upfront with the landlord, offering a guarantor, paying rent in advance, or targeting private landlords who may be more flexible than letting agents.

Only if your rent is reported to credit agencies. Rent payments aren't included in your credit file by default. Services like Wollit can report your rent to Experian and Equifax, adding positive payment history to your credit report.

The average rent across England is approximately £1,332 per month, according to the latest ONS Private Rent Statistics. This varies significantly by region — London rents are roughly double the national average.

London has the highest average rents in England by a significant margin, followed by the South East and the East of England. Within London, Inner London boroughs like Westminster and Camden tend to be the most expensive.

This data is updated monthly using the ONS Private Rental Market Statistics. The ONS collects data from administrative sources and surveys to produce estimates of private rental prices across England.