In the Greater London area the average rental property reached the market priced at £2,485 per month during February.

This figure is £235 higher than the same month last year and had risen by £51 since January alone, figures from property firm Move with Us showed.

Outside of the capital, average asking prices in the South East grew by £21 to reach £1,239 and by £19 to hit £973 in East Anglia.

Many other areas of the country saw rents fall between the start of the year and the end of February, although most were up on 2014 levels.

The only exception was the North East, where rents dropped year-on-year.

Taking an average across Great Britain, rents were relatively flat month-on-month but were £70 higher than a year ago.

Rents remain just behind the all-time high of £1,063 per month.