Private sector rent statistics: 2010 - 2021

2. Background

This publication uses data from the Rent Service Scotland 'Market Evidence Database'. This database is used to meet the needs of determining annual Local Housing Allowance levels and Local Reference Rent, and data from it is also published in the form of 30th percentile rental prices.^[8] at Broad Rental Market Area level.

The market evidence data on private rents is sourced through a variety of means, including private landlord and letting agent returns, mailshot initiatives, as well as advertised rental information. In the latest year to end September 2021, an estimated 87% of records were based on advertised rents, with the remainder being based on sitting tenant rents from landlord returns.

Given the high proportion of records obtained from advertised rents, it is important to note that the statistics presented in this publication therefore do not represent rent increases for existing tenants.

The rental values in this publication are based on data collected on about 25,000 to 35,000 individual rents each year, representing about 8% to 10% of private rented dwellings. It is important to note that the data collected on individual rents may encompass different property types and addresses for each data collection year.

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 over time in terms of area and property size (number of bedrooms). Further information on this is available in Section 8. Also see Annex D for further information on methodological differences to the ONS Index of Private Rents.

Caution is advised when considering rent levels and trends for property sizes within Broad Rental Market Areas which are based on small sample sizes.

This publication does not present rental values averaged across all property sizes for Broad Rental Market Areas or at a Scotland level. This is because changes to sampling proportions by property size within each Broad Rental Market Area over the years would likely introduce bias into overall averages when comparing trends over time. In addition, each Broad Rental Market Area has a different profile of rental properties by size, which would also distort overall comparisons between Broad Rental Market Areas.

This publication uses data from the Rent Service Scotland market evidence database, which:

• excludes any rents related to social housing, mid-market rents, halls of residence, and private tenancies known to be the subject of housing benefit and regulated tenancies.

In addition:

• Rental information on studio/bedsit properties, properties with 5 or more bedrooms, and bed and breakfast lodgings has been excluded from this publication due to small sample sizes.
• Rents for a bedroom in a shared property are presented as 'rent only' figures, i.e. do not include the additional cost of shared services where these are known.

Further details on the data collection methodology, including sample sizes and sampling proportions is given in Annex C.

We welcome your views and feedback on the format and content of this publication, along with any suggestions for areas of improvements that could be made. Contact details are listed on the back page, or you can email us at housingstatistics@gov.scot.