That's according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), which said demand for rented accommodation is high because first time buyers can't afford to get on the housing ladder.

RICS said rents were rising at the fastest rate since it started surveying them, The Guardian reported, while separate figures from the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) said demand from tenants was outstripping supply in all areas of the market.