Average rent rises in all but one area of Scotland
Average rent prices have risen in all but one area in Scotland, new figures show.
Private sector rental statistics released by the Scottish Government yesterday show ten out of 18 areas in Scotland showed an increase above inflation, 1.5 per cent in the UK, between September 2020 and 2021.
Looking only at two-bedroom homes, which make up 49 per cent of rental accommodation in Scotland, West Dunbartonshire showed the highest increase, with 7.1 per cent, followed by the Ayrshire region with 6.8 per cent.
Just one part of Scotland, Lothian, saw a drop in the average rental price during the past year, with a fall of 2.9 per cent. However, the region, which includes Edinburgh, showed a cumulative rise of 41.7 per cent in the past ten years – the biggest increase of any part of the country.
Lothian also saw the highest average rental cost for a two-bedroom property at £942 per month, vastly more than the £693 in the rest of the country.
On average, rental prices rose by 0.6 per cent in the past year in Scotland and 23.5 percent in the past decade,according to the figures.
Tenants' rights minister Patrick Harvie reiterated the Scottish Government's commitment to implementing rent controls by 2025.
"We are aware that many tenants have been struggling financially as a result of the pandemic and that rising rent costs will only have exacerbated the problem, which is why we have provided£39 million to support tenants," he said.
"The time is right to do more to support tenants in the private rented sector as we recover from the pandemic.”