Leicestershire · East Midlands
Average rent in Leicester (2026)
One of England's more affordable large cities for renters, with a market spread between the city centre, the Golden Mile and the family suburbs.
That is £246 per week, based on 100 live listings. Most rents fall between £744 and £1,409 per month; the median is £997.
How much is rent in Leicester?
In the current sample, one-bedroom homes average £734, two-bedroom homes average £952, three-bedroom homes average £1,356 and homes with four or more bedrooms average £1,578 per month. Sizes with fewer than three live listings are left out rather than shown on thin evidence, so the table below only quotes figures the sample can support.
| Home size | Average rent | Listing range | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | £734 pcm | £494 to £875 | 20 |
| 2 bedrooms | £952 pcm | £650 to £1,300 | 40 |
| 3 bedrooms | £1,356 pcm | £1,049 to £2,700 | 32 |
| 4+ bedrooms | £1,578 pcm | £1,296 to £1,876 | 6 |
Rent prices in Leicester: the spread
Flats currently average £802 per month across 25 listings, while houses average £1,157 across 75. Flats make up 25% of the sample.
The cheapest tenth of listings sit below £744 per month and the dearest tenth above £1,409. The single cheapest live listing is £425 and the dearest £2,700, which is why the average is a starting point for judging your own rent, not a verdict on it.
The five-year backdrop
House prices in LE1, the postcode district at the heart of Leicester, have fallen 3.6% over the five years to Jul 2026. Property values move rents indirectly: sustained rises tend to feed landlord expectations at the next rent review, while flat or falling values often foreshadow softer asking rents. Treat this as backdrop, not as proof for or against any individual increase.
| Year | Average value | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2021 | £134,259 | -7% |
| Jul 2022 | £169,655 | +26.4% |
| Jul 2023 | £182,713 | +7.7% |
| Jul 2024 | £203,600 | +11.4% |
| Jul 2025 | £161,803 | -20.5% |
| Jul 2026 | £129,397 | -20% |
Is your rent increase fair?
Averages for Leicester are the backdrop; your case turns on your own postcode and your own notice. Check the proposed figure against live market data for your street, then test the notice itself against the legal rules. Both checks are free.
Leicester rent FAQs
What is the average rent in Leicester?
The average asking rent in Leicester is £1,068 per month (£246 per week), based on 100 live listings gathered from Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket. Most listings fall between £744 and £1,409 per month. These are advertised rents, so what tenants actually agree to pay is often a little lower.
How much is rent for a one-bedroom home in Leicester?
Live listings for one-bedroom homes in Leicester currently average £734 per month, ranging from £494 to £875 across 20 listings. Condition, exact location and what is included in the rent (parking, bills, appliances) all move an individual home above or below that figure.
Where does the rent data for Leicester come from?
Figures are asking rents for live lettings listings, gathered by PropertyData from Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket and refreshed on this page at most every 24 hours. Averages are recalculated from the individual listings each time, and the sample size is always shown so you can judge how much weight to put on the numbers.
Can my landlord charge more than the average rent in Leicester?
A landlord can advertise a new tenancy at any figure. Mid-tenancy is different: since 1 May 2026, rent on an assured periodic tenancy in England can only rise through a Section 13 notice on Form 4A, at most once a year, with at least two months' notice. The legal ceiling is the open-market rent, which is what similar homes in Leicester actually let for. If the proposed figure is above that, you can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal for £47, and the tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the figure your landlord proposed.
How do I challenge a rent increase in Leicester?
Start by checking the notice itself: RentSOS tests it against the legal rules for free in about two minutes, and compares the proposed figure with live market data for your postcode rather than the Leicester average alone. If the notice is invalid you are not required to pay the new rent. If it is valid but above market, you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal on Form MR1 before the increase date, and keep paying your current rent in full while the challenge runs.
Average rent in nearby towns
About these figures
Figures on this page are asking rents for live lettings listings, gathered by PropertyData from Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket, sampled around the town centre. The page refreshes at most every 24 hours, averages are recalculated from the individual listings each time, and the same property advertised on more than one portal may be counted more than once. Asking rents are the start of a negotiation, not proof of what tenants actually pay.