At first I thought you were being pedantic, but on further thought you’re actually just starting from an incorrect premise. The market isn’t an otherworldly force we can choose to believe in, what you’re describing IS the market. The market is landlord and tenant agreeing what to pay one another, supply and demand, bid and offer.

What you seem to want to describe is the ability to shop around for something below the average market rate. But if people could consistently do this then the ‘market’ would fall. You and your landlord (rather everyone and everyone’s landlord) agreeing a price = the market and visa versa, they are not separate things.

As an aside, if you are aware of any landlords that are ready to agree to rents well under the average ‘market’ rate at a time when their btl mortgages are about to go through the roof, please post them here as large swathes of the country would be very interested.

I’m off to get a Bugatti for a pack of gum and a thumb rack as I shan’t be dictated to by the ‘market’.