RENTS are rocketing at a record pace as tenants are hit on all sides, figures show.
Around 4.6 million households privately rent and the average monthly bill jumped by 5.5 per cent in August.
It is the highest rate since the Office for National Statistics started gathering data in 2016.
Property experts blame a shortage of available flats and houses for driving costs higher as landlords cash in on the lack of competition.
And they are also passing on their own higher mortgage costs after interest rates have been hiked and buy-to-let properties are subjected to higher taxes.