Private sector rent statistics: 2010 - 2020
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 2020.
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3. Main Findings for 1 Bedroom Properties
In the year to end September 2020, average 1 bedroom rents increased above CPI inflation of 0.5% in 13 out of 18 areas, with the largest increases being in Fife (4.5%) and Argyll and Bute (5.5%).
Three areas saw little change (within +/-0.5%) in average rents compared with the previous year, including Forth Valley, Perth and Kinross and West Dunbartonshire.
Average rents decreased by more than 0.5% in Aberdeen and Shire (-2.7%) and Dumfries and Galloway (-2.3%). The fall for Aberdeen and Shire is the 5th consecutive annual decrease since 2015, which is likely to reflect decreased demand for rental properties in recent years following the downturn in the oil industry.
Average rents for 1 bedroom properties at the Scotland level have increased by an estimated 1.8% between 2019 and 2020, to reach £542 in 2020. This compares to an increase in the UK Consumer Price Index of 0.5% in the year to Sept-20.
Figures on longer term changes to rents for 1 bedroom properties over the period from 2010 to 2020 should be considered in the context of the cumulative increase in the UK Consumer Price Index of 21.5% from Sept-10 to Sept-20.
Over the 10 year period from 2010 to 2020, two areas have seen rent increases above the level of CPI inflation. Lothian has seen the highest increase in private rents for 1 bedroom properties, with average rents rising by 46.1% (cumulative increase over 10 years) and average rents in the Greater Glasgow area have risen by 38.3% between 2010 and 2020.
For the remaining areas of Scotland, cumulative changes have been below CPI inflation. Aberdeen and Shire has seen a fall of 13.5% in average rents. These regional trends combine to show an estimated 22.7% cumulative increase for 1 bedroom properties between 2010 and 2020 to reach £542 in 2020. See Table 1 and Chart 2 below.
| 2010 | 2019 | 2020 | 2010 to 2020 change | 2019 to 2020 change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lothian | 520 | 752 | 760 | 46.1% | 1.1% |
| Greater Glasgow | 437 | 585 | 605 | 38.3% | 3.4% |
| Scotland* | 442 | 532 | 542 | 22.7% | 1.8% |
| West Lothian | 428 | 504 | 513 | 19.7% | 1.8% |
| East Dunbartonshire | 450 | 526 | 538 | 19.6% | 2.3% |
| Highland and Islands | 415 | 478 | 493 | 18.8% | 3.2% |
| Fife | 379 | 422 | 441 | 16.5% | 4.5% |
| Dundee and Angus | 351 | 402 | 405 | 15.5% | 0.9% |
| Argyll and Bute | 382 | 417 | 440 | 15.1% | 5.5% |
| Perth and Kinross | 377 | 427 | 428 | 13.4% | 0.3% |
| Forth Valley | 387 | 438 | 439 | 13.4% | 0.1% |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 359 | 404 | 395 | 10.1% | -2.3% |
| Scottish Borders | 336 | 360 | 366 | 9.0% | 1.9% |
| South Lanarkshire | 382 | 406 | 412 | 7.8% | 1.5% |
| Renfrewshire / Inverclyde | 374 | 392 | 401 | 7.2% | 2.5% |
| North Lanarkshire | 373 | 391 | 396 | 6.0% | 1.2% |
| West Dunbartonshire | 397 | 403 | 404 | 1.9% | 0.3% |
| Ayrshires | 375 | 370 | 376 | 0.1% | 1.5% |
| Aberdeen and Shire | 529 | 470 | 457 | -13.5% | -2.7% |
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.
For the year to end-September 2020, Lothian had the highest average monthly rents for 1 bedroom properties across Scotland (£760), with Greater Glasgow having rents of £605. Areas with the lowest average rents for 1 bedroom properties included Ayrshires (£376) and the Scottish Borders (£366). See Chart 3 below.
Contact
Email: housingstatistics@gov.scot
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