Private Sector Rent Statistics, Scotland, 2010 to 2023

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 2023. Note that figures are based predominantly on advertised rents, and so do not represent rent changes for existing tenants.

The 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 LHA 30th percentile rental prices at Broad Rental Market Area level.

The market evidence data on private rents is sourced through a variety of means, including advertised rental information as well as private landlord and letting agent returns. In the latest year to end September 2023, an estimated 85% of Rent Service Scotland Market Evidence records were based on advertised rents, with the remainder being based on transactional data received from letting agents or landlords. Note that it is likely that a proportion of the transactional data received will also relate to recently advertised rents, where the records received relate to tenancies which have only been recently advertised or let.

The rental values in this publication are based on data collected on around 25,000 to 40,000 individual rents each year, representing about 8% to 12% of all private rented dwellings.

The latest year CPI inflation figure of 9.0% is based on the average UK CPI value across the latest 12 month period October 2022 to September 2023 compared with the average value in the previous year October 2021 to September 2022. The increase in CPI inflation of 45.7% between 2010 and 2023 is based on the average CPI value across the latest 12 month period October 2022 to September 2023 compared with the average value in the year October 2009 to September 2010.

An Official Statistics Publication for Scotland

These statistics are official statistics. Official statistics are statistics that are produced by crown bodies, those acting on behalf of crown bodies, or those specified in statutory orders, as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

Scottish Government statistics are regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.