Towns within commuting distance of major cities have seen some of the biggest rent rises of the last three years, new research suggests.
The cost of new lets rose by more than a third in areas such as Bolton and Newport between 2020 and 2023, property portal Zoopla said.
Although Glasgow, London, Manchester and Edinburgh also saw big rises, new working patterns have made an impact.
Working from home has allowed some to rent bigger places further from cities.
“They may only go into the office two or three times a week and, if they are in a flat, may have looked for a bit more room,” said Richard Donnell, Zoopla’s executive director of research.
