Rents across England and Wales hit a new record in October of £770 per month, up 1.5% (£12) over the last 12 months, LSL reported this morning.

On a monthly basis, rents in October rose 0.3% (£2) compared to September.

Rents in nine out of ten regions are now higher than a year ago. Rents have fallen annually by 0.5% in only the north-east. However, on a monthly basis, rents were lower in four regions – London, the north-west, north-east, and Yorkshire & the Humber.

LSL – parent company to Your Move, Reeds Rains, Marsh & Parsons and Davis Tate – also reported that tenants’ arrears have gone down, with just 6.9% of all rent in arrears.

In other statistical information released this morning, Hometrack said UK house prices are up 9.2% on a year ago. On a monthly basis, however, house prices were up just 0.4% in October compared with September.

In its new-style survey, which tracks 20 cities, it says London had the highest annual house price growth at 17.3%, followed by Bristol at 13.2%, Cambridge at 12.2%, Portsmouth at 9.4% and Southampton at 9%.

Cities with the lowest annual house price inflation were Glasgow and Liverpool at 5.5% growth each. Both cities are still 14% off their 2007 peak.

Hometrack says a “continued loss of momentum is likely in the run-up to the year end”.