Private sector rent statistics: 2010 - 2019

Scotland-level Average Rents

Table 6 and Chart 12 below provide a summary of Scotland level changes to average (mean) rental prices over the years 2010 to 2019. Further information on the suitability of carrying out analysis at a Scotland level given the sample proportions each year across Broad Rental Market Areas is included in Annex C.

Chart 12 Average (mean) monthly rents, by Property Size: Scotland, 2010 to 2019

Note that some caution is needed when interpreting Scotland level findings. This is because whilst the underlying data aims to be representative of rents within each broad rental market area, no attempt has been made to apply any formal weighting techniques to account for any specific area-level sample sizes or structures when aggrgating up to a single Scotland level figure.

Table 6 - Summary of Average (mean) Private Rents (£ monthly): Scotland, 2010 to 2019 (years to end Sept)

Percentage Increases:

Notes:

Figures exclude any studio properties, properties with 5 or more bedrooms, or room rents associated with bed and breakfast lodgings.

Figures for rooms in shared properties represent "rent only", i.e. exclude any payments for shared services.

Note that some caution is needed when interpreting Scotland level findings. This is because whilst the underlying data aims to be representative of rents within each broad rental market area, no attempt has been made to apply any formal weighting techniques to account for any specific area-level sample sizes or structures when aggregating up to a single Scotland level figure.

From Table 6, it can be seen that average (mean) rents at a Scotland level have increased for all property sizes over the period from 2010 to 2019 (cumulative increases over 9 years).

The greatest cumulative increase over the 9 years from 2010 to 2019 has been for 4 bedroom properties (38.2% increase). Average rents for 3 bedroom properties have increased by 26.3%, average rents for 2 bedroom properties have increased by 24.6%, and average rents for 1 bedroom shared properties have increased by 24.5%, whilst average rents for 1 bedroom properties have seen a cumulative increase of 19.1%.

For 3, 4 and 1 bedroom shared properties, the latest annual increases of 0.2%, 3.7% and 2.0%, respectively, between 2018 and 2019, are lower than the changes in properties for the previous year. This follows increases of 8.7%, 11.8% and 4.7%, respectively, between 2017 and 2018 which were all higher than any previous annual increases since 2010.

Note that some of the Scotland level trends may reflect in part any significant trends at a local area level, for example cumulative increases in average rents for particular property sizes in particular areas of the country, rather than being indicative of trends in rents across all areas of the country.