RENTS in Southend rose by 9.7 percent over the last year, the third fastest in the country.

Peer-to-peer lender Landbay has revealed the average rent in Southend in October stood at £759, which is 9.7 percent higher than 12 months ago.

Leigh tenant Lisa Clarkson said she has to rent because she does not have a deposit for a mortgage.

She added: “I rent - £1300 a month in Leigh - never missed a payment - yet a mortgage for a similar property would be about £800-900 - so would cost me less but can't get a mortgage as have no deposit - so annoying - I will probably never be a homeowner until my parents pass away - which is hopefully 20-30 years time. Oh well.”

Tino Callaghan, who represents Prittlewell ward, slammed “greedy” landlords who he said were putting up rents to take advantage of increasing numbers of tenants moving out of London, with the result that local people could no longer afford the prices.

Mr Callaghan said: “If you look around this town at the moment, nobody has been able to do anything because investors have been buying up homes to let.

“In real terms, because landlords keep putting up their prices and demand for rents people can’t afford these rents.

“People are paying out of their benefit money to cover these costs. There have been rumours of landlords tipping tenants out early so they can bring another tenant in.

“There is a massive influx of people from London.”

He said he had heard Haringey Council in London was paying some tenants from its area to live in Southend, which was not helping the situation.

In the survey of towns that have experienced the quickest rise in rents, Luton came top with a 10.4 percent increase over the last year, while Swindon had also benefited from the London influx, with rents increasing by 9.7 percent.

Over the same time frame, London rents rose 4.1 percent to an average of £2,063, while rents in the wider south east region rose by 3.4 per cent to £1,033.

Tenants from the capital have been attracted to cheaper locations with good transport links to London.

He said people would need to earn £33,000 to be able to rent in the town, but a rent cap would make it more affordable.

He added: “We need to control the prices because people are saying they can’t afford to move out of their mums and dads homes because their children can’t afford anything.”