Over three in five (61%) landlords have said they plan to increase rents in the next 12 months, Pegasus Insight has found, as the Chancellor is reportedly considering a year-long price freeze in the private rented sector.

The Pegasus Insight Landlord Trends Q1 2026 data showed that of the proportion of landlords looking to increase rents in the next 12 months, 75% of them have linked this to the introduction of the Renters’ Right Bill.

The update comes after The Guardian reported that Rachel Reeves is considering imposing a one-year rent freeze on private sector homes due to the impact of the Iran War.

As a result, landlords would be banned from raising rents for a "limited period" under the proposals, which are being debated with Government as part of a major cost of living package to be launched in the coming weeks.

It comes after the Chancellor has resisted rent controls in the Government’s renters’ rights reforms, which come into force on Friday.

Founder and managing director of Pegasus Insight, Mark Long, stated: "A rent freeze would represent unprecedented intervention in the private sector, thwart the business plans of the majority of landlords and potentially force some out of business.

"Landlords are not setting rents in a vacuum. Many are already factoring in the impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill, alongside higher costs, and that is feeding directly into pricing decisions.

"Introducing a rent freeze into that environment could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for those already struggling to balance the books."

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