A report by LSL Property Services said that the average rent charged for a residential property in the UK has risen by 2.6 per cent in the past two months to reach 669 pounds per month.

This figure still remains 2.5 per cent lower than the September 2008 figure.

Although the rental market is showing signs of life, landlords are generally not yet willing to begin increasing their rents, according to Chris Horne, editor of website Property Hawk.

"Most landlords are still generally being quite cautious and they are really concentrating on making sure they have got tenants in and reducing any void period," he said.