The surprising London 'village' where rent increases by just £36 a year

New research has identified the London areas with the fastest and slowest rent changes since 2020 (Picture: Getty Images)

As Londoners,we’ve all dread that text: the one from your landlord,explaining that your rent is about to increase.

Some areas are more infamous for rent rises than others — and considering that the average rent in London is £985,it’s worth knowing where you might be able to find a good deal.

Now,new data has shed light on the neighbourhoods with the greatest — and lowest — changes in monthly payments over the last five years.

Increasingly popular with young professionals,Bethnal Green has seen the steepest change.

In 2020,the price of the average room here was £706,but now,it’s £1,104,which marks a 56.3% uptick in costs.

West Norwood is also on the list,as rents have jumped up by 51.2%,from £616 to £932.

On the other end of the spectrum,though,there are plenty where rents have stayed fairly reasonable.

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You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages,a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from:– Award winning service from the UK’s leading mortgage broker– Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week– Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the marketUnlike many mortgage brokers,L&C won’t charge you a fee for their advice.Find out how much you could borrow onlineMortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C),which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.Rents in Herne Hill now average £893 (Picture: Getty Images)These aren’t by any means the cheapest areas to rent a room in London (for that,you’ll have to go to southeast,to Bexley),but these neighbourhoods also aren’t experiencing the same wallet-damaging changes as others.At the top of SpareRoom’s research is North Finchley,where rents have increased by 22.1% since 2020. Back then,a room would set you back £687 on average,but nowadays,it’s more like £839.But perhaps more surprising is that the second place spot goes to Herne Hill in South East London.@birdhousehernehill Nothing quite beats The Bird House Brewery ✨ #HerneHill #LondonBrewery #LondonGarden♬ dreams – favsounddsThe bougie enclave is often described as feeling ‘like a village’,with its independent coffee shops,breweries and weekly farmers’ market.On the borders of zone 2 and 3,it’s just a 12 minute train to Blackfriars (whereas North Finchley is in zone 4,and takes around 40 minutes to get to King’s Cross via public transport).And while renting costs haven’t remained stagnant in Herne Hill,the average rent here was £711 in 2020. Now,it’s still a fairly reasonable (for London) £893,which is a 25.6% increase.

The 10 London postcodes with the lowest five-year rent change,according to SpareRoom

N12 (North Finchley). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £839,average room rent Q4 2020: £687

SE24 (Herne Hill). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £893,average room rent Q4 2020: £711

N5 (Highbury). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £1,020,average room rent Q4 2020: £809

E4 (Chingford). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £768,average room rent Q4 2020: £607

N10 (Muswell Hill). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £874,average room rent Q4 2020: £682

E18 (South Woodford). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £838,average room rent Q4 2020: £650

SW14 (Mortlake). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £897,average room rent Q4 2020: £692

SW5 (Earl’s Court,West Brompton). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £1,257,average room rent Q4 2020: £968

SW3 (Chelsea). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £1,341,average room rent Q4 2020: £1,033

SE5 (Camberwell). Average room rent in Q4 2025: £904,average room rent Q4 2020: £691.

Things to do in Herne Hill

If foodie scenes are your thing,then Herne Hill fits that bill. Besides the GAIL’s,which arrived a few years ago,the area is a haven for independent businesses,including Lulu’s (ideal for a flat white),The Sicilian Deli,and Archie’s,which also has a location in Archway.

Utter Waffle,which dishes out entirely gluten-free waffles,also started out in Herne Hill,before heading to Balham to open another restaurant.

We’d recommend the Wafflin’ Chicken,a mozzarella and thyme-stuffed waffle topped with fried chicken,garlic aioli,hot honey,and rocket. And the loaded hash stacks are always worth it,too.

For your little treat head to BunHead,a bakery which specialises in sourdough buns,with flavours rooted in Palestine. This spot had a viral moment on TikTok,and you’ll often find queues out the door.

@bunheadbakery guilty 😔 #bunheadbakery #londonfoodguide #selondon #hernehill #londonbakeries #cinnamonbun #sourdough #palestinianflavours #wellhavealook

♬ original sound – Here Comes The Funny

If you want a nice dinner out,then Llewelyn’s is fit for a date night,serving up dishes like pork chop and cornish sole.

For the best coffee in town,head to the coffee shop beneath the arches and ask for a latte with a little shot of caramel in it. It’s always served with a smile.

Every Sunday,Herne Hill Market keeps the streets alive,and it’s buzzing with stalls serving baked goods,sausage rolls,and art. If you’re ever suffering from a sore head from too much partying the night before,the ever popular Tartiflette stall is sure to blow away the cobwebs.

There are trains into central London from the station (Picture: Shutterstock / cktravels.com)

Undoubtedly,the cherry on top of Herne Hill? Brockwell Park,which has impeccable views over London,a beautiful pond,and even a model railway.

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For a pint or two,The Prince Regent has just undergone a rather snazzy refurb. There’s now an upstairs,and they serve a roast dinner on a Sunday.

@caffeinegalore when you live in Herne Hill and it’s as magical and sweet as We Live in Time makes it out to be #weliveintime #hernehill #southlondon

♬ If You Love Me – The Informers

On a sunny day,this institution is always brimming with locals drinking pints out the front. There are now even more tables to choose from,which feels apt considering spring has very nearly sprung in London.

And,for some unique literature choices from a shop that isn’t Waterstones,Herne Hill Books is right next to the station.

Herne Hill Books is one of the area’s many independent shops (Picture: Getty Images)

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