BOURNEMOUTH is one of the most expensive places to rent a room in the UK according to figures released today.

At £575 per month, it is the third most expensive location, behind only London at £745 and Glasgow at £588.

Flat sharing platform Ideal Flatmate has just released its Room Rental Index for the first three months of this year.

Cambridge is the fourth most expensive at £562, Leeds is fifth at £548 and Southampton is sixth at £546. The UK average is £535 with the lowest rental in Aberdeen at just £266.

Prices in Bournemouth are a whopping 21 per cent higher than at the same time last year.

Co-founder of Ideal Flatmate, Tom Gatzen, said: "A new year but a similar story where the UK rental market is concerned with the cost of renting continuing to climb as a result of the imbalance between high demand and insufficient stock levels.

"This trend is almost certain to persist over the coming year and the impending tenant fee ban could see this growth spike further as rental costs are used to recoup lost revenue."

London remains the most expensive city in the UK, driven largely by the high-end market. Even the most affordable London borough is more expensive than most UK towns and cities.

Des Simmons, the Managing Director of Bournecoast Property Agents in Southbourne, said Bourneouth is a highly desirable location in which to rent property.

He said: "The beach in Bournemouth is the best in the UK and one of the best in the world so lifestyle, combined with the tourist facilities that are on offer, make it an exceptional place to live.

"Also, Bournemouth is a holiday destination so landlords have the choice between holiday letting and residential letting, meaning they can sometimes have higher rent than in other areas."