Private Sector Rent Statistics: 2010 - 2015

This publication presents statistics on private sector rent levels in Scotland over the years 2010 to 2015 (years to end-September) using data from the Rent Service Scotland market evidence database. It presents information on rent levels for different property sizes across each of the 18 broad rental market areas in Scotland. It contains information on average rents as well as rents at the higher and lower end of the market.


Scotland-level Average Rents

Table 11 and Chart 12 provide a summary of Scotland level changes to average (mean) rental prices over the years 2010 to 2015. Further information on the suitability of carrying out analysis at a Scotland level given the sample proportions each year across broad rental market areas is included in Annex C.

CHART 12 - Average (mean) monthly rents, by Property Size: Scotland, 2010 to 2015

CHART 12 - Average (mean) monthly rents, by Property Size: Scotland, 2010 to 2015

TABLE 11 - Summary of Average (mean) Private Rents (£ monthly): Scotland, 2010 to 2015 (years to end Sept)

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
1 Bedroom Property 436 439 447 454 472 480
2 Bedroom Property 536 546 553 576 596 610
3 Bedroom Property 679 672 695 707 724 744
4 Bedroom Property 959 971 983 1,060 1,083 1,097
1 Bedroom in Shared Property 300 294 301 309 317 327
Percentage Increases:
2010 to 2011 2011 to 2012 2012 to 2013 2013 to 2014 2014 to 2015 2010 to 2015
(annual increase) (annual increase) (annual increase) (annual increase) (annual increase) (5 year cumulative increase)
1 Bedroom Property 0.8% 1.8% 1.6% 3.9% 1.6% 10.1%
2 Bedroom Property 1.9% 1.2% 4.2% 3.6% 2.2% 13.7%
3 Bedroom Property -1.0% 3.4% 1.8% 2.3% 2.8% 9.6%
4 Bedroom Property 1.3% 1.2% 7.8% 2.2% 1.3% 14.4%
1 Bedroom in Shared Property -2.0% 2.5% 2.6% 2.6% 3.0% 8.9%

From Table 11 it can be seen that average (mean) rents at a Scotland level have increased for all property sizes over the period from 2010 to 2015 (cumulative increases over 5 years).

The greatest cumulative increases over the 5 years from 2010 to 2015 have been for 4 bedroom properties (14.4% increase) and 2 bedroom properties (13.7% increase). 1 bedroom properties have seen a cumulative increase of 10.1% whilst 3 bedroom properties have increased by 9.6%. 1 bedroom shared properties have seen the lowest increase across all property sizes, with a cumulative increase of 8.9% over the 5 years.

For 1 bedroom properties, average (mean) rents have increased by 1.6% in the latest year. This is in line with annual increases seen across previous years, with the exception of 2013 to 2014, where there was a greater increase of 3.9%.

For 2 bedroom properties, average (mean) rents have increased by 2.2% in the latest year, less than previous annual increases of 4.2% between 2012 to 2013 and 3.6% in 2013 to 2014, but higher than the annual increases between 2010 to 2011 (1.9%) and 2011 to 2012 (1.2%).

For 3 bedroom properties, average (mean) rents have increased by 2.8% in the latest year, greater than the previous annual increase of 2.3% between 2013 and 2014 and 1.8% between 2012 and 2013, but less than the annual increase between 2011 and 2012 (3.4%). Between 2010 and 2011 there was a decrease of 1.0%.

For 4 bedroom properties, average (mean) rents have increased by 1.3% in the latest year, less than the previous annual increase of 2.2% between 2013 and 2014 and 7.8% between 2012 and 2013, but similar to the annual increases between 2010 to 2011 (1.3%) and 2011 to 2012 (1.2%).

For 1 bedroom shared properties, average (mean) rents have increased by 3.0% in the latest year, which is slightly greater than the annual increases seen in recent years from 2013 to 2014 (2.6%), 2012 to 2013 (2.6%) and 2011 to 2012 (2.5%), and 2010 to 2011, where average rents decreased by 2.0%.

Note that some of the Scotland level trends may reflect in part any significant trends at a local area level, for example cumulative increases in average rents for particular property sizes in the Aberdeen and Shire and the Lothian areas, rather than being indicative of trends in rents across all areas of the country.

Contact

Email: Esther Laird

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