I live in an up and coming area of London and my rent has not increased for 3 years. I think rent increases are largely a myth perpetrated by landlords. Rents advertised by estate agents are always negotiable. Hugely so.

Stuart, london, uk

At last:

The Middle Classes will have to live like the rest of us, within their means, the Working Class have to contend with unstable family finances all their working lives, but usually with a more quiet, stoic approach.

Noddy, Burton on Trent, England

My rent has been static for 2 years, and there are literally hundreads of places advertised for rent, though mostly at silly prices. Surely it's better to get someone in albeit paying less, than no-one at all.

Rob, Hull,

Ludicrous. My former landlord informed me my rent would increase 20% on signing a new lease prompting me to move out. The property is still available at the increased price - 5 months later.

Meantime, I've negotiated a 3% decrease on my new lease with my new landord after moving in 2007 end...

Le Tundoir, Liverpool via London, UK

Most people are actually working or lower middle class! It was mentioned recently they're ashamed of their backgrounds and get into debt to show they're 'posh', if you will.

This, like house prices, is a mere correction!

John, London,

Another Paragon survey reporting astonishing rent increases, yet I, nor nobody I know, have seen any sign of them on the ground. Nor have the office for national statistics. Still you report them.

Another pertinent number. Paragon's share price was 7595, it is now 93....


...a fall of 98.7%

Bernard Bresslaw, Brockenhurst,

Find it difficult to believe that people have used credit for home improvements, it's more likely to be new cars for him and her, expensive holidays abroad more than once a year,and the usual squandering with nothing to show for it

richard, Bangor, Wales UK

Mike in Brighton,

Time to move, there is lots of choice in Brighton. I expect your existing landlord will live with much less than 11.7% if he really thinks you will leave.

Bernard Bresslaw, Brockenhurst,

I got a letter today informing me that my rent's going up 11.7% from September. I'd like to know from where Labour gets its 2.5% inflation rate; even my regular brand of bin liners have gone up 15% in the last 2 months. Despite no pay rise in 3 years, I still have some savings - but for how long?

Mike, Brighton, England

Arnold Weybridge- I'll rent your Weybridge property if there a 50% reduction :)

Mike, Addlestone,

Expect people to be very reluctant to accept lower rents. The British public always insanely overvalue anything they own. As a coin collector, I can buy retail from professional dealers for considerably less than people want for their 'treasure' at car boot sales

Eric Skelton, Cardiff, Wales

In the last recession I had to reduce the rental on my Weybridge buy to let by 50% just to have a tenant in, and finance the balance myself. This can't last - when the blood letting begins its going to be slaughter on Acacia Avenue.

Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK

Rents are not increasing across the board, and it is irresponsible to suggest they are. The rental market in my local area is oversupplied, and my rent has not increased for over 3 years.

p, Wirral,

Np is correct.Rents are actually falling.Yes, landlords are putting rents up,but then their flats and houses are standing empty, so they are only paper rises.Thousands of buy-to-let landlords are in difficulties which will also drive rents down - landlords will need to accept whatever they can get.

eric campbell, harrogate, uk

So what Transact seems to want is for already hard-pressed taxpayers to fund debt advice for those foolish people who thought it was a good idea to live extravagently when times were good but now find they were in fact living beyond their means. Where does personal responsibility come into this?

Donna Walker, Effingham, England

Being someone who has not had a particularly lucky life, or friends who have also not been exceptionally lucky, I am overjoyed to be having so much luck with rents.

I live in desirable part of London and have not seen rents rise for 3 years. Nor have friends/ colleagues. So, is the survey honest?

Trevor, South east,

Perhaps one day people will begin to understand that its a piece of cake to borrow money, but its bloody hard to pay it back. They were never told "neither a borrower nor a lender be " Britain is in trouble big time now, its amazing how quickly problems speeded up.

Phil de Buquet, Newport,

This is intolerable.
If it isn't bad enough the little guy having to pay for the big guys greed, now you are trying to 'talk' rents up.
In my area, there have been NO rent increases, and there is a stack of properties to chose from. I look forward to house prices dropping 50-60%, along with rents.

Np, Cornwall,