Private sector rent statistics: 2010 - 2021

This publication presents statistics on average private sector rent levels in Scotland by Broad Rental Market Area and size of property, for the years 2010 to 2021.


6. Main Findings for 4 Bedroom Properties

Note that some areas have a relatively low number of 4 bedroom property records recorded, and therefore some caution is needed when interpreting the findings given that the averages presented can be based on a small number of underlying records.

In the year to end September 2021, average 4 bedroom rents increased above the average 12 month UK CPI inflation rate of 1.5% in 11 out of 18 areas, with the largest increases being in Fife (16.5%), Renfrewshire / Inverclyde (13.2%) and West Dunbartonshire (13.2%).

A further three areas saw increases in average rents but below CPI, including Greater Glasgow (0.6%), Highland and Islands (1.2%) and Dundee and Angus (1.3%).

Average rents decreased by more than 0.5% in the remaining areas, with decreases seen for Perth and Kinross (-3.4%), Lothian (-4.5%), Argyll and Bute (-5.5%), and Forth Valley (-8.8%).

Average rents for 4 bedroom properties at the Scotland level were estimated to increase by 1.2% between 2020 and 2021, to reach £1,358 in 2021, which compares to an average increase in UK CPI of 1.5% across the year to September 2021.

Figures on longer term changes to rents for 4 bedroom properties over the period from 2010 to 2021 should be considered in the context of the cumulative increase in UK CPI of 24.3% from the year to end September 2010 to the year to end September 2021.

Over the 11 year period from 2010 to 2021, nearly all (16 out of 18) areas have seen rent increases above the level of CPI inflation, ranging from an increase of 25.3% in Highland and Islands up to 72.0% in Fife.

These cumulative increases equate to a range of annualised growth rates between 2.1% in Highland and Islands to 5.1% in Fife, when calculated on a compound annual increase basis between 2010 and 2021.

For the remaining two areas of Scotland, cumulative increases have been below CPI inflation, in Argyll and Bute (15.0%) and North Lanarkshire (22.6%).

These regional trends combine to show an estimated 44.7% cumulative increase for 4 bedroom properties between 2010 and 2021 (equating to an annualised growth rate of 3.4%), to reach £1,358 in 2021. See Table 4 and Chart 8 below.

Table 4: 4 Bedroom Properties - Average (mean) monthly rents (£): Cumulative changes 2010 to 2021, by Broad Rental Market Area
2010 2020 2021 2010 to 2021 change 2020 to 2021 change
Fife 773 1,142 1,330 72.0% 16.5%
Greater Glasgow 1,067 1,667 1,677 57.1% 0.6%
Scottish Borders 690 1,018 1,057 53.2% 3.8%
Dundee and Angus 811 1,208 1,224 50.9% 1.3%
Renfrewshire / Inverclyde 834 1,093 1,238 48.5% 13.2%
Lothian 1,291 1,966 1,879 45.6% -4.5%
East Dunbartonshire 1,135 1,506 1,651 45.5% 9.7%
Scotland* 939 1,342 1,358 44.7% 1.2%
Forth Valley 857 1,343 1,225 42.9% -8.8%
Aberdeen and Shire 944 1,231 1,319 39.8% 7.2%
West Lothian 834 1,105 1,162 39.3% 5.1%
West Dunbartonshire 821 965 1,092 32.9% 13.2%
Ayrshires 758 906 994 31.1% 9.7%
South Lanarkshire 924 1,099 1,181 27.8% 7.4%
Dumfries and Galloway 620 741 790 27.4% 6.6%
Perth and Kinross 858 1,119 1,080 26.0% -3.4%
Highland and Islands 751 929 940 25.3% 1.2%
North Lanarkshire 776 933 952 22.6% 2.0%
Argyll and Bute 924 1,125 1,063 15.0% -5.5%

See Reference Tables (Tables 7 to 17) for a more detailed breakdown of quartile and average rents for each year.

* Note that the Scotland figures have been calculated using a weighted stock approach. See Section 8 for further details.

Chart 8: Fife has seen the largest cumulative % rises in average 4 bedroom rents between 2010 and 2021, with an increase of 16.5% in the latest year
Cumulative % Change in Average (mean) Rents from 2010 to 2021 (years to end-Sept), by Broad Rental Market Area - 4-Bedroom Properties

*Note that the Scotland figures have been calculated using a weighted stock approach. See Section 8 for further details.

In the year to end September 2021, Lothian had the highest average monthly rents for 4 bedroom properties across Scotland (£1,879). The area with the lowest average rents for 4 bedroom properties was Dumfries and Galloway (£790). See Chart 9 below.

Chart 9: In 2021, Lothian had the highest average monthly 4 bedroom rent (£1,879), with Dumfries and Galloway having the lowest (£790)
Average (mean) Monthly Rents 2021 (year to end-Sept), by Broad Rental Market Area - 4-Bedroom Properties

*Note that the Scotland figures have been calculated using a weighted stock approach. See Section 8 for further details.

Contact

Email: housingstatistics@gov.scot

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