Private rentals spike by 9.5% since 2011, census shows.

In the latest census report released in 2022, it was revealed that the number of households renting privately in Scotland has increased by 9.5% over the past decade. According to the statistics, 323,000 households were renting privately in 2022 compared to 295,000 households in 2011.

Interestingly, there was a slight decrease in the number of households in social rented accommodation, dropping from 576,000 to 564,000. However, it is important to note that the census counts households and not housing stock, which may include vacant properties at the time of the count. Data on housing stocks indicated an increase in the supply of social sector housing between 2011 and 2022.

One striking finding from the report was that over 70% of households in Scotland lived in homes with at least one more bedroom than required. Around 32.2% of households had at least 2 more bedrooms than necessary, while 2.4% of households had fewer bedrooms than needed and could be considered overcrowded. In Glasgow City, 4.7% of households were classified as overcrowded.

Furthermore, there has been a notable 68% increase in the number of people residing in student accommodation or halls of residence, totalling an increase of 22,600 individuals. This rise aligns with the growing numbers of people pursuing higher education in Scotland.

On another note, Scotland’s ageing population has led to an increase in the number of households who own their homes mortgage-free. The latest report indicated that 851,100 households owned their homes outright, marking a significant 28.8% rise from the 2011 figures. Approximately two-thirds of householders aged 65 and over were living mortgage-free.

Commenting on the findings, National Records of Scotland director of census statistics, Jon Wroth-Smith, highlighted the trend, stating, “With the passing of time, many of today’s over 65s will have had the opportunity to pay off their mortgage. We see this in today’s figures which show that more households in Scotland are mortgage-free than a decade ago.”

Notably, the report did not indicate a major change in the number of younger individuals owning their homes. However, it did reveal a 14.5% decrease in the number of people living in care homes, down to 30,800. This decline may be attributed to the Scottish Government’s efforts to support older individuals in living independently in their own homes.

Reflecting on the 9.5% increase in the private rental sector, Living Rent chair Aditi Jehangir emphasised the need for better protections for tenants. Aditi expressed concerns over the affordability and quality of private rental housing, with many tenants facing challenges due to high rents and insecure tenancies.

Aditi added, “The decrease in the social housing sector should raise alarms for the Scottish government. As the social sector diminishes, we are increasingly reliant on the private sector, which is unsustainable. We need rent controls to lower rents and more social housing to ensure everyone has access to a safe, secure, affordable home.”

This latest census report is part of a series of releases on various topics, with the final two reports, including information on education, travel to work, health, and disability, set to be published in September and early October.