The Deposit Protection Service’s (DPS) latest quarterly Rent Index, the average monthly cost of renting a detached property in the UK between October and December 2020 was £1,055: £29 (2.83%) more than in Q3 2020 and £57 (5.71%) more than Q4 2019.

Average rent for semi-detached homes increased to £847 in Q4 2020: £19 (2.29%) more than in the previous quarter (Q3) and £33 (4.05%) more than in the same period the previous year (Q4 2019).

However, although the rate of increase in the cost of renting a flat rose faster in Q4 2020 than earlier in the year, it grew at a much slower rate than larger properties, reaching £803: £8 (1.01%) more than in Q3 2020 and £9 (1.13%) more than in Q4 2019.

The Rent Index is based on its database of 1.8 million current tenancies and 13 years of data.

Matt Trevett, managing director at the DPS, said: “Lockdown has meant many more people are spending longer at home, including far more extensive remote working, and as a consequence more tenants are seeking larger properties with more space.

“While there seems to be a particular focus on detached and semi-detached properties, the rental market as a whole remained remarkably resilient throughout much of 2020, despite broader economic uncertainties and restrictions that affected home viewings and public movement during the first national lockdown.”

The DPS said that average overall UK rent increased to £792 during Q4 2020: £12 (1.54%) more than in Q3 2020 and £19 (2.46%) more than Q4 2019.