The latest Office for National Statistics figures put the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in East Hertfordshire at £1,064 and a two-bedroom home at £1,356.*
At those rates, three years of rent would total £38,304 and £48,816 respectively, before accounting for any further increases.
Local property expert Steve Hibbert, partner at Hertford’s leading estate agents Steven Oates, said the figures reflect a market in which tenants are staying for longer while the number of available rental homes has tightened.
He said, “We are seeing tenants remain in rented homes for three years or more, and over that period the sums involved can be substantial. For people who are in a position to buy, ownership gives them greater control over their living arrangements, while their home becomes an asset that can contribute to their personal wealth over time, simply by living there.”
This comes at a time when there is an increased interest in commuter belt towns compared to London itself. In fact, a recent Rightmove report showed Hertfordshire had three of the top five most popular commuter belt towns in 2026, highlighting the growing interest in these areas.**
The difference in housing costs remains a significant part of the appeal. According to the Office for National Statistics, the average private rent in London reached £2,294 per month in May 2026, compared with £1,503 in East Hertfordshire. The average London home also cost £553,000 in April, almost £100,000 more than the East Hertfordshire average of £455,000.***
Steven continued, “People want to buy, they want to live in a nice town, and they want to have commutable access to London. Hertford serves all three of those criteria. It has always attracted people moving out of London, but affordability is making that decision increasingly relevant to younger renters and first-time buyers.
“Hertford offers a different rhythm of life without asking people to give London up altogether. It has two stations, a strong town centre, countryside and riverside walks, but it is also part of a much wider employment area encompassing places such as Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Hatfield and Harlow. It works for people who commute into London, those whose working week is divided between different locations and those employed closer to home.
“Many of the people living here have previously spent time in London and do not want to lose its convenience or sense of activity. Hertford gives them an established community rather than simply somewhere to sleep between commutes. Compared with some of the better-known commuter towns, including St Albans, it can also provide younger buyers with a more accessible route into ownership.”
One such development is Berkeley’s Hertford Locks, a new 446-home neighbourhood on the banks of the River Lea, bringing a collection of one- and two-bedroom apartments alongside three- and four-bedroom townhouses to a brownfield site close to Hertford town centre. The homes are available to reserve off-plan, with prices starting from £294,000.
“Hertford Locks brings something different to the town,” said Steven. “The apartments are part of a wider riverside neighbourhood, with communal spaces and routes that connect into the surrounding area, rather than sitting behind the closed doors of a standalone block. The concierge, Residents’ Lounge and gym add the kind of lifestyle facilities more often associated with London developments.”
Designed around nature, wellbeing and community, Hertford Locks will include landscaped green spaces, riverside walks and a new public park. Hertford town centre is around a 10-minute walk away, while Hertford East station is approximately five minutes on foot and offers direct services to London Liverpool Street in under an hour.
The development is also contributing more than £4 million towards local infrastructure and community facilities through Section 106 funding, supporting sustainable travel, education, healthcare, community centres, and green and blue spaces.
The Hertford Locks Sales Suite is open daily from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Prices start from £294,000. For more information or to register interest, visit www.hertfordlocks.co.uk, call 020 3925 9970 or email hertfordlocks@berkeleygroup.co.uk.
* https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/housingpriceslocal/E07000242/#rent_price
