Auckland leads the rent charge

Crockers said the rises were a result of difficulties experienced by tenants searching for suitable rental properties in the Auckland region.

"After a particularly quiet January, three-bedroom rental levels appear to have taken off at the start of the school term in February," Crockers said.

"The two-bedroom market experienced its own sharp rise in March. At $357 and $475 per week, respectively, both two and three-bedroom average rental levels are now slightly above the previous highs reported late last year."

Crockers released figures comparing average rents from March 2010 to March 2011 across the one, two, three and four-bedroom property sectors.