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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6. Main Findings for 4 Bedroom Properties

Note that some areas have a relatively low number of 4 bedroom property records recorded, and therefore some caution is needed when interpreting the findings given that the averages presented can be based on a small number of underlying records.

Over the past year, average 4 bedroom rents increased above CPI inflation of 0.5% in 13 out of 18 areas, with the largest increases being in Forth Valley (11.3%) and Argyll and Bute (16.4%).

Average rents decreased by more than 0.5% in the remaining areas, with decreases seen for East Dunbartonshire (-3.0%), Aberdeen and Shire (-5.7%), South Lanarkshire (-5.8%), Renfrewshire / Inverclyde (-9.7%) and West Dunbartonshire (-23.8%).

Average rents for 4 bedroom properties at the Scotland level have increased by an estimated 2.0% between 2019 and 2020, to reach £1,342 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 4 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, 13 areas have seen rent increases above the level of CPI inflation, ranging from an increase of 21.7% in Argyll and Bute up to 56.7% in Forth Valley.

For the remaining five areas of Scotland, cumulative increases have been below CPI inflation, and have ranged from 17.5% in West Dunbartonshire to 20.2% in North Lanarkshire.

These regional trends combine to show an estimated 43.0% cumulative increase for 4 bedroom properties between 2010 and 2020, to reach £1,342 in 2020. See Table 4 and Chart 8 below.

Table 4: 4 Bedroom Properties - Average (mean) monthly rents (£): Cumulative changes 2010 to 2020, by Broad Rental Market Area
2010 2019 2020 2010 to 2020 change 2019 to 2020 change
Forth Valley 857 1,207 1,343 56.7% 11.3%
Greater Glasgow 1,067 1,617 1,667 56.2% 3.1%
Lothian 1,291 1,905 1,966 52.4% 3.2%
Dundee and Angus 811 1,177 1,208 49.0% 2.7%
Scottish Borders 690 992 1,018 47.6% 2.7%
Fife 773 1,092 1,142 47.6% 4.5%
Scotland* 939 1,316 1,342 43.0% 2.0%
East Dunbartonshire 1,135 1,553 1,506 32.7% -3.0%
West Lothian 834 1,055 1,105 32.5% 4.7%
Renfrewshire / Inverclyde 834 1,210 1,093 31.2% -9.7%
Perth and Kinross 858 1,056 1,119 30.4% 5.9%
Aberdeen and Shire 944 1,306 1,231 30.4% -5.7%
Highland and Islands 751 915 929 23.8% 1.6%
Argyll and Bute 924 967 1,125 21.7% 16.4%
North Lanarkshire 776 890 933 20.2% 4.8%
Ayrshires 758 848 906 19.5% 6.9%
Dumfries and Galloway 620 737 741 19.5% 0.6%
South Lanarkshire 924 1,167 1,099 19.0% -5.8%
West Dunbartonshire 821 1,266 965 17.5% -23.8%

AreaSee 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.

Chart 8: Forth Valley and Greater Glasgow have seen the largest cumulative % rises in average 4 bedroom rents between 2010 and 2020
Cumulative percentage Change in Average (mean) Rents from years to end September 2010 to 2020,  by Broad Rental Market Area for 4-Bedroom Properties

For the year to end-September 2020, Lothian had the highest average monthly rents for 4 bedroom properties across Scotland (£1,966). The areas with the lowest average rents for 4 bedroom properties was Dumfries and Galloway (£741). See Chart 9 below.

Chart 9: In 2020, Lothian had the highest average monthly 4 bedroom rent (£1,966), with Dumfries and Galloway having the lowest (£741)
Average (mean) Monthly Rents 2020 for year to end-September, by Broad Rental Market Area for 4-Bedroom Properties

Contact

Email: housingstatistics@gov.scot

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