Private Sector Rent Statistics: 2010 - 2015

Main Findings for 3 Bedroom Properties

TABLE 5: 3 Bedroom Properties - Average (mean) Monthly Rents (£): Cumulative Changes 2010 to 2015, by Broad Rental Market Area

CHART 6: Cumulative % Change in Average (mean) Rents from 2010 to 2015 (years to end-Sept), by Broad Rental Market Area - 3-Bedroom Properties

See Reference Tables (Tables 12 to 17) for a more detailed breakdown of quartile and average rents for each year.

Between 2014 and 2015, 11 areas saw increases in rents. These ranged from 6.3% in Perth and Kinross, 4.8% in Greater Glasgow and 4.3% in Highlands and Islands, to 2.9% in Lothian and 1.3% in Scottish Borders. The seven areas that saw decreases ranged from -0.1% in Ayrshires to -4.3% in Argyll and Bute.

These regional trends combine to show an increase of 2.8% in average rents between 2014 and 2015 for 3 bedroom properties, at the Scotland level.

Over the 5 year period from 2010 to 2015, the Aberdeen and Shire area of the country has seen the highest increase in private rents for 3 bedroom properties, with average monthly rents rising from £744 to £1,072, a 44.2% increase (cumulative over 5 years). Average rents in the Lothian area have risen by 19.6%, whilst average rents in Greater Glasgow have increased by 14.5% and rents in Highlands and Islands have risen by 9.7%.

For the remaining areas of Scotland, cumulative increases have ranged from 9.4% (West Lothian) to 1.1% (South Lanarkshire). In addition, four areas of the country have seen cumulative decreases in average rents between 2010 and 2015 – Forth Valley (-1.4%), West Dunbartonshire (-3.4%), Argyll and Bute (-4.0%).

These regional trends combine to show a 9.6% cumulative increase from 2010 to 2015 for 3 bedroom properties at the Scotland level.

Figures on changes to rents for 3 bedroom properties over the period from 2010 to 2015 should be considered in the context of the cumulative increase in the UK Consumer Price Index of 11.6% from Sept-10 to Sept-15. For example over the 5 year period, average rents for 3 bedroom properties in the Lothian, Aberdeen and Shire, and Greater Glasgow areas have risen faster than the consumer price index, whilst changes in average rents for 3 bedroom properties in other areas of the country have been below the rise in the consumer price index.

TABLE 6: Average (mean) monthly rents for 3 Bedroom Properties in 2015 (year to end-Sept)

CHART 7: Average (mean) Monthly Rents 2015 (year to end-Sept), by Broad Rental Market Area - 3-Bedroom Properties

For the year to end-September 2015, Lothian had the highest average monthly rents for 3 bedroom properties across Scotland (£1,097). Other areas with higher rents included Aberdeen and Shire (£1,072), Greater Glasgow (£834), and East Dunbartonshire (£820). Areas with the lowest average rents included Ayrshires (£568), North Lanarkshire (£565), Scottish Borders (£535), and Dumfries and Galloway (£506).