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.


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.

Table 1: 1 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
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.

Chart 2: Lothian and Greater Glasgow have seen the largest cumulative % rises in average 1 bedroom rents between 2010 and 2020, whilst Aberdeen and Shire average rents have dropped over the ten years
Cumulative percentage Change in Average (mean) Rents from years to end of September from 2010 to 2020, by Broad Rental Market Area for 1-Bedroom Properties

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.

Chart 3: In 2020, Lothian had the highest average monthly 1 bedroom rent (£760), with Scottish Borders having the lowest (£366)
Average (mean) Monthly Rents 2020 for year to end-September, by Broad Rental Market Area for 1-Bedroom Properties

Contact

Email: housingstatistics@gov.scot

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