Private Sector Rent Statistics, Scotland, 2010 to 2024

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 2024.


In the year to end September 2024, average 3 bedroom rents increased above the average 12 month UK CPI inflation rate of 3.0% in 16 out of 18 areas of Scotland. Changes in rents ranged from -1.5% (or -£20 per month) in Greater Glasgow up to +17.3% (or £281 per month) in Lothian.

Average rents for 3 bedroom properties at the Scotland level increased by an estimated 10.7% (or £110 per month) between 2023 and 2024, to reach £1,136 in 2024.

Lothian had the highest average monthly 3 bedroom rent (£1,907) in the latest year to end September 2024.  Dumfries and Galloway had the lowest (£603).

It should be noted that the small decrease in average 3 bedroom rents in Greater Glasgow of 1.5% in year to end September 2024 followed a large increase of 25.7% in year to end September 2023.

Figures on longer term changes to rents for 3 bedroom properties over the period from 2010 to 2024 should be considered in the context of the cumulative increase in UK CPI of 50.0% from the year to end September 2010 to the year to end September 2024.

Over the 2010 to 2024 period, Lothian, Greater Glasgow, Fife, Dundee and Angus, East Dunbartonshire and Forth Valley saw large cumulative 3 bedroom rent increases above the level of CPI inflation.  West Lothian and Argyll were about 11 percentage points above the rate of CPI inflation.  West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire were all around the level of CPI inflation.  In the remaining areas of Scotland, cumulative changes were below CPI inflation. Chart 7 illustrates these changes.  

Overall Scottish 3 bedroom rent increased by 68.7% between 2010 and 2024 to reach £1,136 in 2024.

For more details on 3 bedroom rents for individual BRMAs see Table 3 and Chart 7, 8 and 9 below.  For a detailed breakdown of quartile and average rents for each year see the supporting document excel workbook “BRMA Detailed Profiles” or “Private Rents Open Data”.  Also note that the Scotland average figures have been calculated using a weighted stock approach, with further information on this available in the Data and Methodology Section.

Table 3: 3 Bedroom Properties - Average (mean) monthly rents (£): 2010 to 2024, by Broad Rental Market Area

Broad Rental Market Area

2010

2023

2024

2010 to 2024 change

2023 to 2024 change

Aberdeen and Shire

£744

£1,020

£1,067

43.4%

4.6%

Argyll and Bute

£638

£909

£1,026

61.0%

12.9%

Ayrshires

£556

£687

£752

35.2%

9.5%

Dumfries and Galloway

£500

£560

£603

20.7%

7.7%

Dundee and Angus

£633

£1,021

£1,108

75.2%

8.5%

East Dunbartonshire

£750

£1,230

£1,296

72.8%

5.3%

Fife

£563

£915

£1,010

79.5%

10.4%

Forth Valley

£643

£1,046

£1,089

69.4%

4.0%

Greater Glasgow

£728

£1,374

£1,354

86.0%

-1.5%

Highland and Islands

£595

£817

£866

45.6%

5.9%

Lothian

£918

£1,626

£1,907

107.8%

17.3%

North Lanarkshire

£549

£795

£824

50.2%

3.7%

Perth and Kinross

£647

£908

£908

40.3%

0.0%

Renfrewshire / Inverclyde

£612

£756

£844

38.0%

11.6%

Scottish Borders

£515

£772

£802

55.8%

3.9%

South Lanarkshire

£627

£880

£936

49.4%

6.4%

West Dunbartonshire

£591

£826

£895

51.4%

8.3%

West Lothian

£616

£899

£994

61.4%

10.6%

Scotland

£674

£1,026

£1,136

68.7%

10.7%

Note: Some percentage change figures may not sum due to rounding’s

Chart 7: 3 bedroom properties: 2010 to 2024 % change in average (mean) rents for years to end-Sept, by Broad Rental Market Area

Chart 8: 3 bedroom properties: 2023 to 2024 % change in average (mean) rents for years to end-Sept, by Broad Rental Market Area

Chart 9: 3 bedroom properties: average (mean) monthly rents in 2024 (year to end-Sept), by Broad Rental Market Area

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