Private Sector Rent Statistics, Scotland, 2010 to 2022

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 2022.


4. Main Findings for 2 Bedroom Properties

In the year to end September 2022, average 2 bedroom rents increased in 17 out of 18 areas of Scotland. Increases in 7 of these areas were above the average 12-month UK CPI inflation rate of 7.6%, with the largest increase being 10.3% in South Lanarkshire. The average 2 bedroom rent in the Ayrshires decreased by 1.5%.

Average rents for 2 bedroom properties at the Scotland level increased by an estimated 6.2% between 2021 and 2022, to reach £736 in 2022, which compares to an average increase in UK CPI of 7.6% across the year to September 2022.

Figures on longer term changes to rents for 2 bedroom properties over the period from 2010 to 2022 should be considered in the context of the cumulative increase in UK CPI of 33.7% from the year to end September 2010 to the year to end September 2022.

Over the 12 year period from 2010 to 2022, five areas (Greater Glasgow, Lothian, Forth Valley, Fife and East Dunbartonshire) have had rent increase above CPI inflation. Greater Glasgow and Lothian have seen the highest cumulative increase in private rents for 2 bedroom properties, with average rents rising by 52.3% and 51.5% respectively, equating to annualised growth rates of 3.6% and 3.5% when calculated on a compound annual increase basis between 2010 and 2022.

For the remaining areas of Scotland, cumulative increases have been below CPI inflation and have ranged from 3.1% in Aberdeen and Shire to 30.3% in Dundee and Angus.

These regional trends combine to show an estimated 32.9% cumulative increase for 2 bedroom properties between 2010 and 2022 (equating to an annualised growth rate of 2.4%), to reach £736 in 2022. See Table 2 and Chart 4 below.

Table 2: 2 Bedroom Properties - Average (mean) monthly rents (£): Cumulative changes 2010 to 2022, by Broad Rental Market Area

Broad Rental Market Area

2010

2021

2022

2010 to 2022 change

2021 to 2022 change

Greater Glasgow

564

797

858

52.3%

7.7%

Lothian

665

942

1,006

51.5%

6.9%

Forth Valley

492

642

697

41.6%

8.7%

Fife

464

616

649

39.9%

5.3%

East Dunbartonshire

581

721

780

34.2%

8.2%

Scotland

554

693

736

32.9%

6.2%

Dundee and Angus

497

601

648

30.3%

8.0%

South Lanarkshire

481

556

613

27.7%

10.3%

Highland and Islands

503

612

643

27.6%

4.9%

West Lothian

527

642

673

27.5%

4.7%

Perth and Kinross

506

590

626

23.6%

6.1%

North Lanarkshire

455

517

560

23.1%

8.3%

Argyll and Bute

503

583

612

21.6%

5.0%

Scottish Borders

442

516

525

18.9%

1.7%

West Dunbartonshire

492

537

582

18.2%

8.3%

Renfrewshire / Inverclyde

473

518

547

15.6%

5.6%

Dumfries and Galloway

435

477

480

10.2%

0.6%

Ayrshires

464

500

493

6.1%

-1.5%

Aberdeen and Shire

643

649

663

3.1%

2.1%

Note: See the Supporting Documents Excel Workbook Table 7 for a more detailed breakdown of quartile and average rents for each year. Also note that the Scotland figures have been calculated using a weighted stock approach, with further information on this available in Section 8 and Annex C.

Chart 4: Lothian and Greater Glasgow have seen the largest cumulative % rises in average 2 bedroom rents between 2010 and 2022

A bar chart showing the percentage changes for two bedroom properties for each BRMA between 2010 to 2022 and 2021 to 2022, with a cumulative CPI rate of 33.7% as comparison.  Greater Glasgow and Lothian have the highest percentage changes between 2010 and 2022, with Ayrshires and Aberdeen and Shire having the lowest.

Chart 5: In 2022, Lothian had the highest average monthly 2 bedroom rent (£1,006), with Dumfries and Galloway having the lowest (£480)

A bar chart showing the mean monthly rents of two bedroom properties, for all BRMA's including Scotland. Lothian has the highest rent at £1,006 and Dumfries and Galloway has the lowest with £480

Contact

Email: housingstatistics@gov.scot

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