Private sector rent statistics: 2010 - 2021

7. Main Findings for 1 Bedroom Shared Properties

Note that some areas have a relatively low number of 1 bedroom shared 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.

In the year to end September 2021, average 1 bedroom shared rents increased above the average 12 month UK CPI inflation rate of 1.5% in 8 out of 18 areas, with the largest increases being in East Dunbartonshire (22.4%) and Argyll and Bute (13.5%).

Two areas saw little change (within +/-0.5%) in average rents compared with the previous year, including Aberdeen and Shire, and Highland and Islands.

Average rents decreased by more than 0.5% in eight areas, ranging from a drop of 0.6% in Dundee and Angus to a decrease of 7.7% in Perth and Kinross.

Average rents for 1 bedroom shared properties at the Scotland level have decreased by an estimated 0.4% between 2020 and 2021, to reach £398 in 2021, which compares to an average increase in UK CPI of 1.5% across the year to September 2021.

Figures on longer term changes to rents for 1 bedroom shared properties over the period from 2010 to 2021 should be considered in the context of the cumulative increase in UK CPI of 24.3% from the year to end September 2010 to the year to end September 2021.

Over the 11 year period from 2010 to 2021, nine areas have seen rent increases above the level of CPI inflation, ranging from an increase of 25.3% in Dundee and Angus up to 47.0% in Lothian.

These cumulative increases equate to a range of annualised growth rates between 2.1% in Dundee and Angus up to 3.6% in Lothian, when calculated on a compound annual increase basis between 2010 and 2021.

For the remaining nine areas of Scotland, cumulative increases have been below CPI inflation, and have ranged from 9.9% in Aberdeen and Shire to 23.6% in West Dunbartonshire.

These regional trends combine to show an estimated 30.4% cumulative increase for 1 bedroom shared properties between 2010 and 2021 (equating to an annualised growth rate of 2.4%), to reach £398 in 2021. See Table 5 and Chart 10 below.

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.

*Note that the Scotland figures have been calculated using a weighted stock approach. See Section 8 for further details.

In the year to end September 2021, Lothian had the highest average monthly rents for 1 bedroom shared properties across Scotland (£470). Areas with the lowest average rents for 1 bedroom shared properties included Perth and Kinross (£320) and Scottish Borders (£314). See Chart 11 below.

*Note that the Scotland figures have been calculated using a weighted stock approach. See Section 8 for further details.