Scotland ’s Dundee and Aberdeen have seen the biggest increases in average room rents over the past 12 months, according to the latest rental index from SpareRoom.co.uk.

Dundee, the fourth largest city in Scotland, is the only location in the UK that has seen a double digit room rent rise in the past 12 months, with average monthly rents increasing by 12.9% from £303 in Q1 2012 to £342 per month in Q1 2013.

Aberdeen , the oil capital of Europe, has seen room rents increase by 8.4% from £416 to £451, comparing average rents in Q1 2012 with rents in Q1 2013. Room rents in Falkirk have risen by 6.3% over the past 12 months, from £334 to £355, while Edinburgh has seen rents rise just 3.3% over the same period.

Across the UK as a whole, the average rent for a double room including bills in Q1 2013 was £497 per month, compared to £465 per month in Q1 2012, a 6.8% annual rise. In England, Bolton has seen the biggest Q1 2013 rent rises, with monthly room rents rising from £338 to £364, an increase of 7.7% in the past 12 months.

In London, average room rents across the capital stand at £660 per month inclusive of bills, up a mere 3.5% since Q1 2012, but now 20% higher than two years ago.

Rents in East London have grown by 6% this year, but are still amongst the most affordable in the capital, at an average of £620 per month. Renters will pay on average £134 more per month if they choose to live in leafy West London. South East London, at £581 per month including bills, has the lowest monthly rents in the capital.

Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom.co.uk, said: “What’s surprising is that it’s not just the usual suspect cities like London – where demand is particularly high and supply is limited – that are seeing room rents escalate.

“Landlords are capitalising on demand all over the country and with so little affordable housing in the UK, and diminished consumer power amongst renters due to their need to live a commutable distance from work, this trend looks set to continue.

The following table shows the main UK towns and cities that have seen the steepest rise in room rents over the past 12 months:

Post Town


Average Monthly Rent Q1 2013 (£)


Average Monthly Rent Q1 2012 (£)


Annual change (%)

Dundee


342


303


12.9

Aberdeen


451


416


8.4

Bolton


364


338


7.7

Falkirk


355


334


6.3

East London


620


585


6.0

Sutton


503


477


5.5

Southampton


420


399


5.3

Lincoln


360


342


5.3

Reading


446


425


4.9

Dudley


364


347


4.9

Source: SpareRoom.co.uk Rental Index