Iestyn, 26, has just accepted a nursing job in Hull and is moving from Leeds, where his landlord charged him £950 a month for a one-bedroom flat. Hull listings make him do a double take: one-bedroom flats for around £500 a month, two-bedroom terraces for not much more. If you are in Iestyn’s position, this guide gives you the verified numbers, the areas worth knowing, the upfront costs, and the rights that protect you. Every rent figure comes from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), every council tax figure from Hull City Council, and every legal rule from GOV.UK.
Quick Answer: The average private rent in Kingston upon Hull was £695 a month in September 2026 (ONS), up 7.5% on a year earlier. A one-bedroom home averages £500, a two-bedroom £623 and a three-bedroom £745 — less than half the England average of £1,466. To pass the usual 30× affordability check on the average Hull home you need a gross salary of about £20,850 a year. Your deposit is capped at five weeks’ rent, and since 1 May 2026 your landlord cannot evict you without a reason and can only raise your rent once a year.
How Much Does Renting in Hull Cost in 2026?
The headline figure is £695 a month: the ONS average private rent for Kingston upon Hull — the official name of the local authority area covering the city — for September 2026, published on 21 October 2026. It covers all property sizes and all tenancies, not just new listings. Use it to test whether a rent is fair.
The figure has risen: in September 2025 the same average was £647, so the annual increase is 7.5% (£48 a month). Hull is still remarkably cheap, but it is not standing still.
What Rent Buys You by Bedroom Size — and How Hull Compares
The bedroom breakdown tells you what to expect at each size. All figures are September 2026 averages for Kingston upon Hull.
| Bedrooms | Average monthly rent | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| One bedroom | £500 | +7.3% |
| Two bedrooms | £623 | +7.8% |
| Three bedrooms | £745 | +7.8% |
| Four or more bedrooms | £987 | +7.3% |
| All sizes | £695 | +7.5% |
The spread is £487 a month between a one-bedroom home and a home with four or more bedrooms. A single person or a couple can live comfortably on the one-bedroom average of £500 — one of the cheapest one-bedroom averages of any major English city in the ONS data. A two-bedroom home at £623 suits a couple who want a spare room or two sharers splitting costs. At £745, a three-bedroom home is within reach of many families on a single average income.
| Area | Average monthly rent | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| Kingston upon Hull | £695 | +7.5% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £869 | +4.8% |
| England | £1,466 | +4.0% |
| UK | £1,406 | +3.8% |
Hull’s average is £174 a month below the region and £771 below England — about 20% below the region and less than half (47%) of the England figure. Over a year, that is a saving of about £9,252 against the England average and £8,532 against the UK average.
Why is Hull so cheap? House prices never recovered after the decline of fishing and heavy industry: the average house price was £137,000 in August 2026 (ONS), against £209,000 across the region. Lower house prices mean lower rents.
The True Monthly Cost of Renting in Hull
Council tax is the biggest extra. Hull City Council set its 2026/27 charges on 26 February 2026: the total Band D bill — the council’s own charge plus the police and fire precepts — is £2,295.04 a year (£191.25 a month), up £112.52 on 2025/26 (about 5.2%) and £96.96 below the England average of £2,392. Most rented flats are in Bands A to C:
| Council tax band | Annual bill 2026/27 | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Band A | £1,530.03 | £127.50 |
| Band B | £1,785.04 | £148.75 |
| Band C | £2,040.04 | £170.00 |
| Band D | £2,295.04 | £191.25 |
Living alone earns the 25% single-person discount: on a Band D home that cuts the bill to £1,721.28 a year (£143.44 a month), and on a Band A flat to £1,147.52 a year (£95.63 a month). Full-time students are exempt. Check the band before you sign — our guide to council tax for renters covers discounts and exemptions.
Energy is the next cost. The Ofgem price cap for a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit is £1,723 a year for 1 October to 31 December 2026 — about £143.58 a month — but that caps unit rates and standing charges, not your total bill. A one-bedroom flat uses less than Ofgem’s “typical household”, so budget roughly £90–£110 a month for energy in a small flat, and around £143.58 for a three-bedroom home. For water and broadband combined, allow a planning estimate of roughly £55–£90 a month — not a published average, so get real quotes. Our guide to energy bills when renting explains who pays what and how to switch supplier.
Hull’s Neighbourhoods: Where to Look First
The ONS does not publish average rents by neighbourhood, so these notes are qualitative — based on each area’s character and housing stock, not on per-area rent statistics.
Old Town and the Marina (HU1) is the historic heart of the city — cobbled streets, the marina, museums, bars and restaurants, all within walking distance of the station. It suits young professionals, and its flats sit at the pricier end of Hull’s range.
The Avenues and Pearson Park (HU3/HU5) is Hull’s most sought-after residential area: wide, tree-lined streets of large Victorian terraces, popular with families and professionals. It is the most expensive part of the city for family homes.
Newland Avenue and Cottingham Road (HU5/HU6) is the student belt, running out towards the University of Hull campus. Expect shared houses, student flats and good bus links, with rents at the value end of the market — but check the property carefully.
Beverley Road, Spring Bank and Anlaby Road are the main inner-city corridors, lined with terraces and small shops. They are affordable and well connected by bus. If you are on a tight budget, start here.
Hessle and Anlaby (HU10/HU13) and East Hull and Hedon (HU12) are suburban and family-focused, with larger houses, gardens and schools. Hull is compact: most of it is within a 15–20 minute bus ride of the centre.
The 30× Affordability Test: What Salary Do You Need?
Most Hull letting agents apply the same test used across England: your gross annual income must be at least 30 times the monthly rent.
| Home size | Average monthly rent | Gross salary needed (30× rent) |
|---|---|---|
| One bedroom | £500 | £15,000 |
| Two bedrooms | £623 | £18,690 |
| Three bedrooms | £745 | £22,350 |
| All sizes (average) | £695 | £20,850 |
On the average Hull home you need £20,850 a year before tax; on a one-bedroom flat, just £15,000 — below the annual pay of a full-time worker on the National Living Wage. A couple combining two incomes will pass on almost any Hull home. If your income falls short, some agents accept a guarantor. Read our guides to tenant referencing and guarantors for renting before you apply.
Upfront Costs: Deposits, Holding Deposits and the First Month
Moving in costs more than the first month’s rent, and the law caps all three payments. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, your tenancy deposit cannot exceed five weeks’ rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, and your holding deposit cannot exceed one week’s rent. Since 1 May 2026, under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, your landlord or agent cannot ask for more than one month’s rent in advance once you have signed, and cannot take any rent at all before you sign. Weekly rent is monthly rent × 12 ÷ 52:
| Monthly rent | Weekly rent | Deposit cap (5 weeks) | Move-in total (deposit + first month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £500 (1 bed) | £115.38 | £576.92 | £1,076.92 |
| £695 (average) | £160.38 | £801.92 | £1,496.92 |
| £745 (3 bed) | £171.92 | £859.62 | £1,604.62 |
The holding deposit is not extra money: it is part of the move-in total, paid first to take the property off the market. If the landlord decides not to proceed, you get it back, unless you gave false information or pulled out yourself. Your deposit must be protected in a government-backed scheme within 30 days — our guide to tenancy deposit protection explains how to check yours.
Most other fees are now banned: an agent cannot charge you for referencing, an inventory, a tenancy agreement, a guarantor check, or check-out. The only other payments allowed are rent, a refundable deposit and holding deposit, key/late-payment charges, and a £50 cap on changing the tenancy. If an agent asks for anything else, it is almost certainly unlawful — read our guide to letting agent fees and challenge it.
Worked Example 1: Briony’s One-Bed Flat
Briony, 24, earns £19,500 a year and rents a one-bedroom flat for £500 a month.
- Weekly rent: £500 × 12 ÷ 52 = £115.38
- Deposit cap (5 weeks): £500 × 12 ÷ 52 × 5 = £576.92
- Holding deposit (1 week): £115.38 (counts towards the total)
- First month’s rent: £500.00
- Move-in total: £576.92 + £500.00 = £1,076.92
- Affordability test: £500 × 30 = £15,000 — Briony passes on £19,500
- True monthly cost: rent £500.00 + council tax (Band A, single person) £95.63 + energy ~£100 + water and broadband ~£65 = about £760 a month
Briony’s take-home pay is roughly £1,463 a month, leaving her around £700 after housing costs.
Worked Example 2: Tadhg’s Three-Bed Family Home
Tadhg and his partner move their family into a three-bedroom terraced house for £745 a month. Their combined gross income is £34,000 a year.
- Weekly rent: £745 × 12 ÷ 52 = £171.92
- Deposit cap (5 weeks): £745 × 12 ÷ 52 × 5 = £859.62
- Holding deposit (1 week): £171.92 (counts towards the total)
- First month’s rent: £745.00
- Move-in total: £859.62 + £745.00 = £1,604.62
- Affordability test: £745 × 30 = £22,350 — they pass comfortably on £34,000
- True monthly cost: rent £745.00 + council tax (Band D, two adults) £191.25 + energy (Ofgem typical-household cap level) £143.58 + water and broadband ~£80 = about £1,160 a month
That is less than the rent alone on an average three-bedroom home in most English cities.
Your Rights in Hull: The Renters’ Rights Act 2025
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 applies to Hull in full: its main tenancy reforms — Phase 1 — came into force on 1 May 2026 (Royal Assent 27 October 2025).
The biggest change is the end of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions. Since 1 May 2026 your landlord cannot evict you without a reason: they must use a Section 8 ground — for example, serious rent arrears or selling the property — give the correct notice, and get a court order. Your tenancy is now an assured periodic tenancy, and you can leave at any time by giving two months’ written notice.
Rent increases are now tightly controlled: your landlord can only raise your rent once a year, and not at all in the first 12 months, using the Section 13 process (Form 4A, at least two months’ notice). If the new rent is above the market rate, you can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal. The Act also banned rental bidding and discrimination against tenants with children or on benefits, and gave you the right to request a pet. The new national landlord database starts rolling out from 15 December 2026 (West Midlands first, the rest of England to follow), at £65 per property per year.
A house in multiple occupation (HMO) — shared by five or more people from two or more households — must have a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004, lasting five years; the council charges a non-refundable £225 payment when you apply. Hull has no selective licensing scheme and no additional HMO licensing scheme in force, so ordinary single-household lets do not need a council licence — but the council has considered introducing such schemes, so check its website before you sign. The council also controls HMO conversions through Article 4 areas, expanded on 8 August 2019.
Renting as a Student in Hull
The University of Hull shapes the rental market every autumn. Most students live in shared houses around Newland Avenue, Cottingham Road and the Avenues, or in purpose-built accommodation near the campus. Demand peaks in summer, so start looking in spring.
Student rooms are cheap. Accommodation for Students’ July 2026 report put the average advertised student room rent in Hull at £102 a week, up 11% on a year earlier — about £442 a month per room, usually before bills in a shared house or with bills included in purpose-built blocks. As a student you pay no council tax if everyone in the household is a full-time student. Most student lets are joint tenancies, which means you are each liable for the whole rent if a housemate stops paying. Read our guide to renting as a student for more.
Scams, Red Flags and Moving to Hull from Elsewhere
Hull’s low rents make it a target for rental scams. The pattern is always the same: a flat advertised well below the market rate, a landlord who cannot meet you or show you the property, pressure to pay a deposit by bank transfer before a viewing, and a story about being abroad. Never pay anything before you have viewed the property in person. Verify the agent through a redress scheme — The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme — and check the landlord against the Land Registry title for £7.
Other red flags: banned agent fees, a deposit over five weeks’ rent, and no Energy Performance Certificate. If the rent looks too good to be true — say, a two-bedroom flat in the Avenues at £400 a month — it almost certainly is. Hull Paragon Interchange has direct trains to Leeds, York, Sheffield and Manchester. Take meter readings and photographs on moving-in day. Read our guide to renting in England.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the average rent in Hull?
The average private rent in Kingston upon Hull was £695 a month in September 2026 (ONS), up 7.5% on a year earlier. A one-bedroom home averages £500, a two-bedroom £623, a three-bedroom £745 and a home with four or more bedrooms £987.
Is Hull a cheap place to rent?
Yes — Hull is one of the cheapest major cities in England to rent in. The average rent of £695 a month is £771 a month below the England average of £1,466, and £174 below the Yorkshire and the Humber average of £869.
What salary do I need to rent in Hull?
Most agents apply the 30× rule: your gross annual income must be at least 30 times the monthly rent — £15,000 a year for a one-bedroom flat at £500 a month, £18,690 for a two-bedroom at £623, £22,350 for a three-bedroom at £745, and £20,850 for the average Hull home at £695.
How much deposit do I need to rent in Hull?
Your deposit is capped at five weeks’ rent: £801.92 on the average Hull rent of £695 a month, £576.92 on a one-bedroom flat at £500, and £859.62 on a three-bedroom house at £745. Your holding deposit is capped at one week’s rent.
How much is council tax in Hull for renters?
The total Band D bill for Hull in 2026/27 is £2,295.04 a year (£191.25 a month). Most rented flats are in Bands A to C: Band A costs £1,530.03 a year and Band C £2,040.04. Living alone earns a 25% discount, and full-time students are exempt.
Can my landlord increase my rent in Hull?
Only once a year, and not in the first 12 months. Since 1 May 2026 the landlord must use the Section 13 process — Form 4A with at least two months’ notice. If the new rent is above the market rate, you can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal.
Can I be evicted without a reason in Hull?
No. Section 21 “no-fault” evictions were abolished in England on 1 May 2026 under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Your landlord now needs a Section 8 ground, the correct notice and a court order. You can leave at any time by giving two months’ written notice.
Do I need an HMO licence to rent a shared house in Hull?
Your landlord applies, not you. A home shared by five or more people from two or more households needs a mandatory HMO licence. Hull has no selective licensing scheme and no additional HMO licensing scheme in force.
Where do students live in Hull?
Most students live in shared houses around Newland Avenue, Cottingham Road and the Avenues, or in purpose-built student accommodation near the campus. The average advertised student room rent was £102 a week in July 2026 (Accommodation for Students).
What should I check before signing a tenancy in Hull?
Check the ONS average rent, confirm the council tax band, make sure the deposit is no more than five weeks’ rent, confirm it will be protected within 30 days, view the property in person, and check the agent belongs to a redress scheme.
Final Thoughts
Renting in Hull is, on the verified numbers, one of the best-value moves you can make in England. The average rent of £695 a month is less than half the England average, a one-bedroom flat averages £500, and the salary you need for the average home — £20,850 a year — is within reach of a single person on a modest wage. Add council tax and bills and the true monthly cost is roughly £760 for a one-bedroom flat and £1,160 for a three-bedroom family home.
But cheap rent is only a good deal if the home is decent and your rights are protected. Use the ONS figures to test whether a rent is fair, check the council tax band before you sign, and never pay more than the legal caps upfront. If the numbers work and the property checks out, Hull gives you something few English cities still offer: a home of your own, at a price your salary can actually carry.
Before you apply, run your numbers with our rent affordability calculator.
Further Reading
- GOV.UK — Private renting: your rights and responsibilities: https://www.gov.uk/private-renting
- Shelter England — Private renting advice: https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting
- Citizens Advice — Renting a home: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/renting-a-home/
