There a sharp rise in rental prices across Scotland, especially in Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
Figures from Citylets’ quarterly report show the average price of renting in Scotland has risen to £671, an increase of 2.3%.
Dan Cookson, senior analyst at Citylets, believes the rise could be partly as a result of the abolishment of tenant fees and other important changes made during 2012.
He said: “Our report for the last quarter of 2012 is significant in that it is the first to cover a period after the changes in the sector in 2012 took hold.
“Two cities which have seen some of the biggest rises in rents – Edinburgh (up 5.1%) and Aberdeen (up 6.3%) – these annual increases are the largest experienced in either city during the last 5 years.”
He added: “There is certainly a suspicion that the recent banning of agent fees to tenants has had an upward impact on rents. Several agent clients have suggested this to be the case and our data seems to support this view.”
The Citylets report reveals that Aberdeen is the most expensive place to rent in the country with the average rent in the Granite City coming in at £950.
Two and three bed properties saw the biggest rise with two beds rising 5.0% on last year to £884 and three beds rising to £1305, an increase of 8.8%.
Time to let (TTL) figures for Aberdeen shortened by six days and are now the lowest in the country with an average property taking 18 days to rent compared to 24 days in the same period in 2011.
Meanwhile in Edinburgh prices rose considerably with the average mix adjusted rent coming in at £819.
Two and three bed properties in the capital saw increase in rents with two bed properties now standing at £744, a 4.6% rise on last year. Three bed properties increased by 4.6% to bring rents to an average of £1072.
Times to let figures were also shorter in Edinburgh with the average property taking 26 days to let, an improvement of five days from last year.
Cookson added: “Although Glasgow rents remained comparatively more affordable, it also experienced an increase in rents.”
Glasgow’s average mix adjusted rent increased by 2.2% and now stands at £612.
Two bed properties increased by 3.1% to £630, three bed properties in Glasgow increased by 0.2%. Time to let figures lengthened slightly with the average property now taking 37 days to let compared to 35 days last year.
