Private sector rent statistics: 2010 - 2016

Broad Rental Market Area Profiles

This section provides profiles for private rents in each of the 18 broad rental market areas^[5]. The commentary focusses on five-year and annual-changes for average (mean) rents by property sizes as well as changes over time to the bottom end (lower quartile) and top end (upper quartile) of the rental markets. The commentary does not cover changes to median rents given that these often show similar trends to mean rents, however users may also wish to look at the median figures and trends in the profile tables and charts^[6]. The map below illustrates the different geographical areas. The infographic on the page after this illustrates the changes in average rent in each area and property type. It is also possible to search for the broad rental market area associated with a particular postcode at http://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx. This website provides detailed PDF maps of each area.

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Aberdeen and Shire

Average (mean) rents in Aberdeen and Shire are higher across all property sizes in 2016 compared with 2010. This is despite decreases across all property types between 2015 and 2016. Average rents in Aberdeen and Shire started to fall between 2014 and 2015 the latest annual decreases range from -6.8% for 1 bedroom shared properties, to -15.2% for 1 bedroom properties. This is likely to reflect decreased demand for rental properties following the downturn in the oil industry.

For 3, and 4 bedroom properties, greater increases at the top end (upper quartile) than the bottom end (lower quartile) between 2012 and 2014 caused the gap between the top end and bottom ends to widen, although this gap has narrowed in more recent years. For 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom and 1 bedroom shared properties, there has been little change in the gap between upper and lower quartiles of the market. In 2015 there were decreases in average rent for 2, 3 and 4 bedroom properties. The latest year has brought decreases across all property types.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Aberdeen and Shire

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Argyll and Bute

Average (mean) rents in Argyll and Bute have increased between 2010 and 2016 for all types of properties with the exception of 1 bedroom shared properties. Properties with 1 bedroom increased by 7.9% between 2010 and 2016, 2 bedrooms by 4.3%, 3 bedrooms by 4.4% and 4 bedrooms by 7.0%. Rents for 1 bedroom shared properties have decreased by 4.4% over this time period.

For 1 bedroom properties there has been an increase at the top end (upper quartile), causing the gap between the top and bottom ends to widen. For 2 and 4 bedroom properties, the top end (upper quartile) and bottom end (lower quartile) are similar in both 2010 and 2016. For 3 bedrooms, the lower end of the market (lower quartile) has increased slightly since 2010.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Argyll and Bute

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Ayrshires

Between 2010 and 2016, average (mean) rents increased by 19.7% for 4 bedroom properties, by 11.1% for 1 bedroom shared, and by 4.1% for 3 bedroom properties. Rents for 1 and 2 bedroom properties have decreased by 2.4% and 0.2% respectively.

For 1 bedroom properties, a greater decrease in the bottom end (lower quartile) has widened the gap in rents between 2010 and 2016. For 2 bedroom properties, there has been little change between 2010 and 2016. For 3 and 4 bedroom properties the greater increase at the top end (upper quartile) compared to the bottom end (lower quartile) has widened the gap in rents. For 1 bedroom shared properties, there has been an increase in the top end (upper quartile), along with a small decrease at the bottom end (lower quartile), causing a widening of the gap between the top and bottom ends.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Ayrshires

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Dumfries and Galloway

Average (mean) rents in Dumfries and Galloway between 2010 and 2016 have increased for all types of properties, with increases ranging between 2.5% for 1 bedroom shared and 7.1% for 1 bedroom properties. Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation, with every property size showing some annual increases and decreases over the 2010 to 2016 period.

For 1, 2, and 3 bedroom properties, greater increases in the bottom end (lower quartile) than the top end (upper quartile) have narrowed the gap between the top and bottom ends. For 4 bedroom properties there was also an increase in the bottom end (lower quartile), although the top end (upper quartile) has increased in recent years.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Dumfries and Galloway

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Dundee and Angus

Average (mean) rents in Dundee and Angus have increased for all property sizes between 2010 and 2016, ranging from an increase of 9.2% for 1 bedroom properties to an increase of 19.9% for 4 bedroom properties. Over this time period there has been annual variation, with every property size showing some annual increases and decreases, except for 1 bedroom properties which have seen increases for each year.

For 1 bedroom and 1 bedroom shared properties, rent increases between 2010 and 2016 have been greater at the bottom end of the market (lower quartile) than the top end (upper quartile), causing the gap between top and bottom ends of the market to narrow, although the top end of rents for 1 bedroom shared properties has increased in recent years. For 2, 3 and 4 bedroom properties, a greater increase in the top end (upper quartile) of rents has widened the gap in rents compared to the bottom end (lower quartile).

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Dundee and Angus

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - East Dunbartonshire

Average (mean) rents in East Dunbartonshire have increased for all property sizes between 2010 and 2016, ranging from an increase of 6.5% for 1 bedroom properties to an increase of 14.6% for 3 bedroom properties.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing some annual increases and decreases.

For all property types, rents between 2010 and 2016 have increased more at the top end (upper quartile) that at bottom end (lower quartile) of the market, causing a widening gap between the top and bottom end of the market.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
East Dunbartonshire

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Fife

Average (mean) rents in Fife have increased for all property sizes between 2010 and 2016, ranging from an increase of 6.3% for 1 bedroom properties to an increase of 36.0% for 1 bedroom shared properties.

Although there has been a general upward trend in average (mean) rents between 2010 and 2016, all property types have shown variation over this period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases.

For all property types, greater increases in the top end (upper quartile) of rents compared to the bottom end (lower quartile) have widened the gap in rents.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Fife

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Forth Valley

Average (mean) rents in Forth Valley have increased for all property sizes between 2010 and 2016. The increases have ranged from 5.4% for 1 bedroom properties to 27.3% for 1 bedroom shared properties.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases.

Across all property types, there have been increases in the past year, particularly at the top end of the market (upper quartile), which has widened the gap between top and bottom ends of the market and increased the average rent. This is particularly stark for 4 bedroom properties, where the top end of the market increased by 20.0% over the past year, while the bottom end of the market showed little change (0.6% increase).

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Forth Valley

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Greater Glasgow

Average (mean) rents in the Greater Glasgow area have increased for all property sizes between 2010 and 2016, ranging from an increase of 18.9% for 1 bedroom shared properties to an increase of 25.7% for 3 bedroom properties.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases over different years.

All properties sizes have seen greater increases in the top end (upper quartile) of rents between 2010 and 2016, which has widened the gap in rents compared to the bottom end of the market (lower quartile), as well as increasing the average rent values.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Greater Glasgow

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Highland and Islands

Average (mean) rents in the Highlands and Islands have increased for all property sizes between 2010 and 2016, ranging from an increase of 9.6% for 4 bedroom properties to an increase of 12.9% for 3 bedroom properties.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases over different years, except for 1 and 2 bedroom properties which have seen annual increases each year.

For all property types, there have been increases at the top end (upper quartile) and bottom end (lower quartile) of the market, however the increases have been greater at the top end. This has resulted in a widening gap between top and bottom ends of the market between 2010 and 2016, as well as an increase in average rent values.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Highland and Islands

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Lothian

Average (mean) rents in the Lothian area have increased for all property sizes between 2010 and 2016, ranging from an increase of 15.0% for 1 bedroom shared properties to an increase of 25.5% for 1 bedroom properties.

1, 2 and 4 bedroom properties have seen annual increases each year in average (mean) rents, whereas 3 bedroom and 1 bedroom shared properties have shown a mixture of annual increases and decreases over different years.

For all properties sizes, increases in the top end (upper quartile) of rents have been greater than increases in the bottom end (lower quartile) between 2010 and 2016, which has widened the gap in rents.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Lothian

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - North Lanarkshire

Average (mean) rents in North Lanarkshire have increased for all property sizes between 2010 and 2016. Increases have ranged from 2.2% for 1 bedroom properties to 7.8% for 1 bedroom shared properties.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases over different years.

For 1, 2, 4, bedroom and 1 bedroom shared properties, rent changes between 2010 and 2016 have been greater at the top end (upper quartile) than the bottom end (lower quartile) of the market, causing a widening gap between top and bottom ends of the market as well as an increase in average rent values. For 3 bedroom properties, the mean has increased slightly between 2010 and 2016 (2.9% increase), however there is no change in the upper and lower quartiles.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
North Lanarkshire

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Perth and Kinross

Average (mean) rents in Perth and Kinross have increased for all property sizes between 2010 and 2016. Increases have ranged from 6.6% for 2 bedroom properties to 18.7% for 4 bedroom properties.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases over different years.

For 1, 2 and 4 bedroom properties and 1 bedroom shared, changes at the top end (upper quartile) and bottom end (lower quartile) have generally been similar between 2010 and 2015. For 3 bedroom properties, increases at the top end (upper quartile) of rents have widened the gap in rents compared to the bottom end of the market (lower quartile). For 4 bedroom properties, there has been some variation over the years and a recent increase in the bottom end has narrowed the gap between the top end and bottom end.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Perth and Kinross

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Renfrewshire / Inverclyde

Average (mean) rents in the Renfrewshire / Inverclyde area have increased for all property types between 2010 and 2016. Increases range from 2.6% for 1 bedroom shared properties to 21.7% for 4 bedroom properties.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases over different years.

For 1, 3, and 4 bedroom properties, there have been increases at the top end of the market (upper quartile) and bottom end of the market (lower quartile), however the increases have been greater at the upper quartile causing a widening gap between top and bottom ends of the market. For 2 bedroom properties, there has been no change at the bottom end while the top end has increased, again causing a widening gap between top and bottom ends of the market. For 1 bedroom shared properties, there has been some variation over the years however the top and bottom end rents are similar in 2016 to 2010.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Renfrewshire / Inverclyde

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - Scottish Borders

Average (mean) rents in the Scottish Borders have increased for all property types between 2010 and 2016. Increases range from 0.5% for 1 bedroom properties, to 7.3% for 4 bedroom properties.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation, with every property size showing some annual increases and decreases over the 2010 to 2016 period.

The changes vary substantially by property type. For 1 bedroom properties, a decrease at the top end (upper quartile) of rents and an increase at the bottom end (lower quartile) has narrowed the gap in rents. For 2 bedroom and 1 bedroom shared properties, both the top end and the bottom end have increased. For 3 bedroom properties, the bottom end has increase more steeply than the top end, while for 4 bedroom properties the top end has increase more than the bottom end.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
Scottish Borders

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - South Lanarkshire

Average (mean) rents in South Lanarkshire between 2010 and 2016 have increased across all property types except 1 bedroom properties which have seen a small decrease (-0.4%). Increases for other property types range from 2.0% for 1 bedroom shared properties and 10.6% for 4 bedroom properties.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases over different years.

For 1, 3, and 4 bedroom properties, increases at the top end (upper quartile) of rents have been greater than increases at the bottom end (lower quartile) of rents, which has widened the gap in rents. For 2 bedroom properties, rent changes between 2010 and 2016 have generally been similar at the top end (upper quartile) and bottom end (lower quartile) of the market. For 1 bedroom shared properties, decreases at the bottom end (lower quartile) and increases at the top end (upper quartile) of rents have widened the gap.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
South Lanarkshire

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - West Dunbartonshire

Average (mean) rents in West Dunbartonshire between 2010 and 2016 have increased for all property types except 3 bedroom properties which have decreased by 2.6%. Increases for other property types range from 0.9% for 1 bedroom to 11.5% for 1 bedroom shared.

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases over different years.

For 1 bedroom properties, decreases have occurred between 2010 and 2016 at the bottom end (lower quartile) of the market while there has been little change at the top end (upper quartile). For 2 and 3 bedrooms, there has been little change in rents at the top and bottom ends of the market. For 4 bedroom properties, there have been increases at the top and bottom end of the market however the increases have been greater at the top end. For 1 bedroom shared, there have been increases at the bottom end of the market however also some increases at the top end in recent years.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
West Dunbartonshire

Broad Rental Market Area Profile - West Lothian

Average (mean) rents in West Lothian between 2010 and 2016 have increased for all property sizes. Increases range from 9.6% (2 bedroom properties) to 14.2% (1 bedroom shared properties).

Average (mean) rents have shown annual variation over the 2010 to 2016 period, with every property size showing a mixture of annual increases and decreases over different years.

Across all property types, there have been increases at the top end of the market (upper quartile) and bottom end (lower quartile). For 3 and 4 bedroom properties, the increases were greater at the top end of the market than the bottom end, causing the gap to widen. For all other property types, the changes at the top and bottom ends of the market were more similar.

BRMA Rent Profile for:
West Lothian