Figures from rental website SpareRoom show the picture is consistent across much of the UK.

The South West was the region with the biggest increase in average rents, up by 1.5% to £677 per month.

However, some individual cities saw more substantial movements, including Carlisle (+8%), Inverness (+7%), Gloucester (+6%), Durham (+6%), Worcester (+6%) and Salisbury (+6%).

In London average rents edged downward by 0.5% year on year to £978 per month.

Analysis of room adverts placed in January, the busiest month of the year for new flatshare listings, shows growth is slowing.

The supply of rooms increased for the third consecutive year, but this growth was lower at 4.2% than the 13.8% increase recorded over the previous 12 months.

SpareRoom suggests this could be linked to the phasing in of the Renters’ Rights Act from May 1.

SpareRoom director Matt Hutchinson says: “Landlords have been telling us of their plans to quit the market or reduce their portfolios for many months but, until now, we’ve not seen that reflected in supply, which has been trending upwards since the aftermath of the pandemic. 

“Slowing room supply growth is of huge concern when rooms in flatshares are such a critical source of affordable housing. 

“If the supply-demand imbalance gets any worse, UK rents – which, although stable, are already hugely inflated due to post-pandemic demand – will start to rise again. 

“We’re concerned this may be the calm before the storm.”