Private sector rent statistics: 2010 - 2021

Private Sector Rent Statistics, Scotland, 2010 to 2021

Main findings for average rent changes in the latest year (2020 to 2021)^[1]:

• In the year to end September 2021, average 2 bedroom rents increased above the average 12 month UK CPI inflation.^[2] rate of 1.5% in 10 out of 18 areas of Scotland, with the largest increases being 7.1% in West Dunbartonshire and 6.8% in the Ayrshires. An additional four areas saw an increase above 0.5% but below CPI inflation of 1.5%. Three areas saw little change in average rents compared with the previous year (annual changes within +/-0.5%), whilst the average rent in Lothian decreased by 2.9%.
• These regional trends combine to show an estimated 0.6% annual increase in average 2 bedroom monthly rents at a Scotland level.
• At a Scotland level there were estimated increases in average rents for 1 bedroom (0.6%), 2 bedroom (0.6%) and 4 bedroom (1.2%) properties, with average rents for 3 bedroom properties showing no change (0.0%), and rents for 1 bedroom shared properties falling by 0.4%.

Main findings for average rent changes between 2010 and 2021:

• Lothian and Greater Glasgow have seen cumulative increases in average rents above the rate of inflation between 2010 and 2021.^[3] across all property sizes.
• Forth Valley and Fife have seen cumulative increases in average rents above the rate of inflation for all property sizes except 1 bedroom properties.
• Argyll and Bute and North Lanarkshire have seen cumulative increases in average rents of less than the rate of inflation across all property sizes between 2010 and 2021.

*Note that the Scotland figures have been calculated using a weighted stock approach

See Section 8 for further details.

This publication presents statistics on private sector rent levels in Scotland over the years 2010 to 2021 (years to end September) for different property sizes across each of the 18 Broad Rental Market Areas in Scotland.^[4] It contains information on average rents as well as rents at the higher and lower end of the market.^[5]

The publication uses data from the Rent Service Scotland market evidence database, which is collected for the purposes of determining annual Local Housing Allowance levels and Local Reference Rent.

The main users of this publication are likely to include those involved in housing policy and practice, researchers, tenants, landlords, letting agents, and other individuals with an interest in the private rented sector.

Note that the rental information contained in the market evidence database is largely based on advertised rents, therefore it is important to note that the statistics presented in this publication do not represent any rent changes for existing tenants.

As with the previous publication, Scotland figures have been calculated using a weighted stock approach based on separate Scottish Household Survey estimates on the profile of rental stock by area and property size over time. Further information on this is available in Section 8.