Bristol rents fall as new rental laws come into force

Average rents in Bristol have fallen by 3.8% and rental properties are taking longer to let, according to a new report released as the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force.

But rental platform Rentaroof has warned the slowdown may only be temporary rather than a sign of lasting affordability, with similar reforms in the Netherlands leading to a major reduction in available rental homes after landlords exited the market.

Rentaroof says the Q1 2026 figures provide an important baseline for measuring the long-term impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on Bristol’s rental market over the next 12 months, in terms of rental supply, pricing and landlord behaviour.

Key findings from the Q1 2026 Bristol rental market report include:

• Average rents in Bristol have fallen by 3.8% year-on-year
• Rental properties are taking longer to let, rising from an average of 25 days to 31 days
• Flat-heavy areas including Bristol City Centre have seen the steepest rental declines
• Premium and well-connected districts including Horfield, Redcliffe and Montpelier continue to show resilient demand

The average monthly rent in Bristol now stands at £1,464, down from £1,522 during the same period in 2025.

Apartment and flat rents, which make up Bristol’s largest rental category, recorded the biggest shift, falling by 3.6% (£57) year-on-year to an average of £1,514.

In contrast, rents for houses and rooms both increased slightly by 0.6%, with the average house now costing £2,009 per month and rooms averaging £657.

Five districts’ prices were analysed in the report and all recorded overall price reductions, with Bristol City Centre experiencing the sharpest fall at 10.9%. Rentaroof says the area’s high concentration of flats appears to have amplified the slowdown within the apartment market. Despite this, the City Centre still commands some of Bristol’s highest rents, reflecting the continued premium attached to central living.

As the previous year, Horfield tracked as the most expensive district, with average rents of £1,802. It also recorded the smallest decline at just 1.6%, suggesting demand has remained resilient at the upper end of the market.

Fishponds – the third most expensive district – saw rents fall by 8.7%, bringing average monthly costs to £1,437. At the more affordable end of the market, Bedminster recorded an 8.5% drop to £1,171 per month, while Easton saw rents fall 5.2% to an average of £1,103.

The average time rental properties remain on the market in Bristol has also increased over the past year, rising from 25 days to 31 days.

Redcliffe and Montpelier are currently the city’s fastest-moving areas, with homes letting in around 18 to 19 days on average, while Bristol City Centre has become one of the slowest markets at 43 days. Time-to-let analysis also included Southville (23 days) and Northville (41 days).

Despite the slowdown, properties across Bristol are still typically letting within around six weeks, suggesting overall tenant demand remains active.

Commenting on the findings, Jasper de Groot, CEO of Rentaroof UK, said:

“Britain is heading in the same direction as the Netherlands when it comes to rental reform, and the warning signs are already there.

In the Netherlands, similar changes led to a sharp reduction in rental supply as landlords and investors exited the market. Around 12.5% of the total private rental stock, equating to more than 80,000 homes, were eventually sold off and removed from the sector.

In Bristol, we’re already seeing rents soften and properties taking longer to let, particularly in flat-heavy areas such as the City Centre.

We also expect landlord behaviour to change significantly under the Renters’ Rights Act. In high-demand areas such as Redcliffe and Montpelier, landlords are likely to increase advertised rents upfront because they will no longer be able to rely on above-asking bidding to achieve higher final rents.

The bigger concern is supply. International evidence suggests rental stock is likely to decline over time if landlords continue exiting the market.

The latest English Private Landlord Survey already shows 31% of landlords are planning to reduce their portfolios, suggesting supply pressures could intensify over the coming years.

If supply continues to tighten, today’s softer conditions could eventually reverse and place upward pressure on rents again.”

Jasper de Groot CEO Treehouse_rentaroof

Rent changes impact around a quarter of Bristol’s households, and student-friendly listings now account for 36.6% of Bristol’s rental supply, above the UK average of 31.1%, reflecting the city’s large student population and concentration of shared accommodation.

Rentaroof says this also impacts Bristol’s overall rental averages, as a significant proportion of the market is made up of lower-cost room and shared-property stock.

Rentaroof is a UK rental search and alert platform designed to help renters find and secure properties in competitive markets.

Main image by Boxun Liu