Rents last month edged up to a new all-time record, averaging £768 a month in England and Wales, LSL has reported.

The figure for last month is £10 (1.5%) higher than in September 2013.

On a monthly basis September’s average rents are 0.8% higher than in August, representing a rise of £7 in absolute terms since the previous month.

However, behind the average figure is a mixed regional picture.

Rents in the west midlands are now 2.4% lower than a year ago, while rents have fallen by 2.3% in the north-east and in Wales by 1.1%.

However, on a monthly basis none of the ten regions has seen rents fall, although in Yorkshire & the Humber they did not change.

Between August and September the average rent in the south-east rose by 1.8%, in the north-west by 1.4% and in the north-east by 1.2%.

The slowest monthly rent rises were in the east midlands, up just 0.4%, while in London and the west midlands the monthly rise was 0.5%.

The average landlord in England and Wales has seen a return, before deductions such as mortgage payments and maintenance, of £22,706 in the last year. This is made up of rental income of £8,379 and an average capital gain of £14,327.