Fewer tenants saw their rents increase in the first month following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act compared to a year ago, Hamptons’ research found.

The lettings agency’s analysis of data from its parent company Connells Group suggests that despite the decrease, some of those tenants who did see rents rise faced a significant jump in costs.

It found that the number of tenants whose rents rose in May was 23% lower than in the same month last year and 16% below the five-year average for the month.

Hamptons lead analyst David Fell says the decline partly reflects slower rental growth but also suggests landlords have been less likely to increase rents than under the previous rules.

There was little evidence that landlords rushed through rent increases ahead of the changes, as the number of rent increases recorded between January and April 2026 was 3% lower than in the same period of 2025.

Under the previous system, rents were often reviewed when tenancies were renewed, allowing for more frequent increases. Under the new rules, landlords may be more likely to space increases out over longer periods, according to Fell.

However, while rent increases may become less frequent, they could become larger when they occur.

Among tenants who were subject to a rent rise in May, the average annual increase was 5.4%, unchanged from April and slightly below the 5.5% recorded in May 2025.

Although this is down from the 7.3% increases seen when rental growth peaked, it remains well above the 1.1% annual growth in rents for newly-agreed lets in May.

Hamptons says increases for existing tenants often represent a catch-up to prevailing market levels where rents have remained unchanged for some time.

The agency points to Scotland, where periodic tenancies have been in place since 2017, as a potential indication of how the market in England may evolve.

Scotland recorded the largest rent increases in May at 7.7%, with landlords increasingly making fewer but larger adjustments to rents.

Meanwhile, rental growth for newly-agreed lets remained subdued.

The average rent paid by a tenant moving into a new property in Great Britain rose 1.1% year-on-year in May to £1,382pcm, down from growth of 1.2% in April.

The South East became the first region outside London to record average rents of £1,500pcm, up 2% year-on-year. By comparison, average rents in London stood at £2,294pcm.

Hamptons says landlords are increasingly prioritising tenant quality over speed of letting, with many prepared to wait for the right tenant rather than accept the first offer.