Private rent rises across the board, figures show

Rent has risen by at least 11.7 per cent across the private sector in the past year, figures show.

The Scottish Government released its housing market review showing the level of rent increases across the country in the year up to September.

The highest increase was seen in shared, one-bed homes, where average rent increased by 15.1 per cent to £490 per month.

Two-bed homes increased by 14.3 per cent to £841 per month, while three and four-bed homes increased by 13.3 per cent and 13.4 per cent respectively.

The smallest increase was innon-shared,one-bedflats, which rose by 11.7 per cent to £648.

Rent increases varied by geography, with Dumfries and Galloway seeing a jump of just 1.5 per cent, compared to 22.3 per cent in greater Glasgow.

The figures come as the provisions of the Scottish Government’s rent cap and eviction ban ended last month.

The release covers advertised rent prices, which the 33-page report said do not reflect the impact of the rent cap, given it only affected rent rises for current tenants, rather than between tenancies.

But the Scottish Tory housing spokesman, Miles Briggs, described the rent controls as “misguided”.

“These eye-watering rent rises are higher still in Glasgow, the back yard of Patrick Harvie, the architect and champion of this failed policy,” he said.

Tenants' rights minister Patrick Harvie said: “These statistics, first published in November 2023, are yet more evidence of the importance of action to make rents more affordable.

“There is no one solution to addressing rent affordability and our commitment to introducing a longer-term system of rent controls is one measure being taken forward in the Housing Bill.”