Around one in seven private renters in England have been hit by a rent rise in recent weeks, according to Shelter.
The charity said 30% of renters are behind on, or constantly struggling to pay their rent.
Official data shows that average private rents across the UK have gone up by 3.4% over the past 12 months.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “The already high cost of renting meant tenants were on the ropes trying to keep up with rising food and energy prices. Now runaway rents will deal many renters a knock-out blow.
“Our emergency helpline advisers are doing everything they can to help people cling onto their homes.
“We’re at breaking point, too many families won’t be able to keep a roof over their head this winter because they won’t be able to afford to heat their home or pay their rent.”
However, Chris Norris, policy director for the National Residential Landlords Association, said most landlords were prepared to bear the brunt of increased costs.
He added: “At a time when inflation is so high and landlord costs are rapidly increasing, the latest official data shows that average private rents across the UK have gone up by 3.4% over the last 12 months.
“This shows that most landlords are prepared to bear the brunt of rising costs to keep tenants in their homes when they can.
“There will be cases where landlords are simply unable to shoulder all the increased costs and need to increase rents accordingly.
“Where this causes difficulties, particularly for tenants on low incomes, the Government should end the freeze on housing benefits. Even before the sharp rise in inflation, the level of benefits was failing to reflect the cost of rents as they are today.
“Further increases in rents will also be driven by a chronic shortage of homes for private rent.
“This is a direct consequence of government action to discourage investment in the sector. Ministers need urgently to develop pro-growth policies to ensure supply meets demand in the rental market.”
