WELLINGTON renters are being hit hard in the pocket, with prices hitting a record high average of $450 a week.
The figures, from Trade Me, show landlords increased rents in the capital by an average of $40 last month.
That is higher than the average across the country, with the median asking rent rising by $15 from December to January.
While Auckland is still the most expensive place to rent a house, with an average price of $500 a week, rents in Wellington are increasing at the fastest rate.
Robert Whitaker from renters’ rights group Wellington Renters United said it was unfair for landlords to make the most of the city’s well-known shortage of rental housing.
“We think that landlords are taking advantage of the high demand at this time of year to hike up the prices when tenants are desperate for housing.”
