Average private rent in Dorset
In September 2026 the average private rent in Dorset was £1,059 a month, up 4.2% on a year earlier. That is 15% below the South West average of £1,251, and the 13th highest of 26 councils in the region.
By number of bedrooms
| Size | Dorset | 12-month change | South West | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | £733 | +4.3% | £833 | £1,199 |
| 2 bedrooms | £969 | +4.4% | £1,070 | £1,341 |
| 3 bedrooms | £1,194 | +4.6% | £1,305 | £1,497 |
| 4+ bedrooms | £1,688 | +3.8% | £1,881 | £2,170 |
| All sizes | £1,059 | +4.2% | £1,251 | £1,466 |
| Type | Dorset | South West |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £1,446 | £1,613 |
| Semi-detached | £1,155 | £1,365 |
| Terraced | £1,048 | £1,279 |
| Flat or maisonette | £842 | £982 |
Three-year trend
Since September 2023 the average has moved from £922 to £1,059 (+14.9%). Over the last year, homes with 3 bedrooms rose fastest (+4.6%).
Monthly figures as a table
| Month | All | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | £1,059 | £733 | £969 | £1,194 | £1,688 |
| August 2026 | £1,056 | £732 | £967 | £1,191 | £1,684 |
| July 2026 | £1,051 | £728 | £961 | £1,184 | £1,674 |
| June 2026 | £1,046 | £724 | £957 | £1,178 | £1,667 |
| May 2026 | £1,041 | £721 | £953 | £1,172 | £1,661 |
| April 2026 | £1,039 | £720 | £951 | £1,170 | £1,660 |
| March 2026 | £1,037 | £718 | £949 | £1,167 | £1,658 |
| February 2026 | £1,034 | £716 | £945 | £1,163 | £1,654 |
| January 2026 | £1,031 | £714 | £943 | £1,160 | £1,651 |
| December 2025 | £1,029 | £712 | £940 | £1,157 | £1,647 |
| November 2025 | £1,028 | £711 | £939 | £1,156 | £1,646 |
| October 2025 | £1,023 | £708 | £935 | £1,150 | £1,637 |
| September 2025 | £1,016 | £703 | £928 | £1,141 | £1,625 |
| August 2025 | £1,007 | £697 | £920 | £1,132 | £1,612 |
| July 2025 | £1,003 | £693 | £917 | £1,128 | £1,607 |
| June 2025 | £1,002 | £692 | £915 | £1,127 | £1,608 |
| May 2025 | £1,003 | £692 | £916 | £1,129 | £1,613 |
| April 2025 | £1,004 | £692 | £916 | £1,130 | £1,616 |
| March 2025 | £1,005 | £692 | £916 | £1,131 | £1,619 |
| February 2025 | £1,004 | £691 | £915 | £1,130 | £1,619 |
| January 2025 | £1,001 | £688 | £912 | £1,127 | £1,616 |
| December 2024 | £999 | £686 | £910 | £1,124 | £1,612 |
| November 2024 | £995 | £683 | £906 | £1,119 | £1,605 |
| October 2024 | £993 | £682 | £904 | £1,117 | £1,603 |
| September 2024 | £990 | £679 | £901 | £1,113 | £1,600 |
| August 2024 | £984 | £674 | £896 | £1,107 | £1,593 |
| July 2024 | £977 | £669 | £890 | £1,099 | £1,586 |
| June 2024 | £969 | £664 | £883 | £1,091 | £1,576 |
| May 2024 | £963 | £659 | £877 | £1,084 | £1,569 |
| April 2024 | £959 | £656 | £873 | £1,079 | £1,563 |
| March 2024 | £955 | £653 | £870 | £1,075 | £1,560 |
| February 2024 | £952 | £650 | £866 | £1,071 | £1,556 |
| January 2024 | £948 | £647 | £863 | £1,067 | £1,551 |
| December 2023 | £940 | £641 | £856 | £1,058 | £1,539 |
| November 2023 | £932 | £636 | £848 | £1,049 | £1,529 |
| October 2023 | £925 | £631 | £842 | £1,041 | £1,518 |
| September 2023 | £922 | £629 | £840 | £1,038 | £1,513 |
Using these figures in Form 4A evidence
ONS averages cover new and existing tenancies, so in Dorset they usually sit below what a similar home would be advertised for today. Use them as context, not as the market rent. A rent tribunal gives most weight to homes like yours let nearby recently. For a sense of scale: the average two-bedroom rent here is £969, and its +4.4% change over the year is about £43 a month.
- Note the ONS figure for your bedroom count (September 2026, released 21 October 2026) with its date.
- Log three or more comparable lettings in Dorset from the last six months.
- Check the dates with the section 13 calculator, then serve Form 4A.
Start an evidence pack for Dorset
Landlord database dates for Dorset
Dorset is in the South West wave (wave 9 of 9). Registration is planned to open on 15 August 2027, with landlords expected to register by 14 November 2027, at £65 per property per year. These dates come from draft regulations and were not yet law when we checked. Check the details you will need.
Draft regulations as of 25 October 2026 Draft Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 (laid 9 September 2026)
Councils with similar rents in South West
- Somerset: £1,021
- South Hams: £1,014
- Stroud: £1,047
- Swindon: £1,103
- Tewkesbury: £1,106
- Wiltshire: £1,091
Source: Office for National Statistics, Price Index of Private Rents, UK: monthly price statistics, September 2026 data released 21 October 2026 (official statistics in development, mean rents rounded to £1, not seasonally adjusted). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. ONS area code E06000059.
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