Private rents are now unaffordable in 55% of local authorities, according to a report by Shelter, doing the rounds this morning. What does unaffordable mean to Shelter? It means that the average rent costs more than 35% of the average take home pay in a particular area. Most shocking of all, the report claims that 38% of families with children have been cutting back on buying food in order to meet rent. The cost of renting a two-bedroom home ranged from £394 a month in Burnley to £2,714 a month in Kensington. The average rent on a two-bedroom home London is £1,360 a month, almost two-and-a-half times the national average. To get a copy of the actual report itself, click here.

Technorati Tags: property, real estate