Last year saw the fastest rent rises since 2011, Your Move and Reeds Rains reported this morning.

The firms, both owned by LSL, said average rents across England and Wales rose by 3.4%.

Average rents ended the year at £794 per month.

In the east of England, rents increased by 7.8%, followed by London at 6.3%, with new record rents in Yorkshire & Humber and the west midlands last month.

Tenants looked to be feeling the financial pressure, with arrears rising to 9.3% of all rent due last month.

Your Move and LSL director Adrian Gill said that the cost of renting “has begun to diverge from the wider cost of everyday living, as measured by standard rates of inflation”.