And in some cases, rural renting was cheaper, according to the research by independent property consultant CKD Galbraith which has offices across the country.
The firm compared rural and urban rents in six key locations; Ayr, Cupar, Galashiels, Inverness, Perth and Stirling.
Last year, the firm let almost 1,000 properties and found that the average rent of a three bedroom family home in rural areas was £618 per calendar month, a fraction cheaper than the urban average of £621 per calendar month.
In Perthshire, the same three bedroom home cost on average £649 per calendar month, some £58 less than its urban equivalent. Inverness-shire also saw similar statistics, with a four bedroom house in a country location costing a tenant £776 per calendar month in comparison to £792 per calendar month in an urban setting.
Only when smaller houses were taken into consideration did the statistics indicate more expensive rents in rural areas, with a one bedroom property on average costing £399 per calendar month in a rural area, some £29 per month more expensive than the same home in an urban area.
‘A common perception amongst the tenants we meet is that a rural home will cost more to rent than urban properties but our statistics show that this isn’t always the case and that there is often a good, affordable option for those who would consider rural living,’ said Shirley Kenyon, lettings manager at CKD Galbraith.
‘The quality of life in rural locations, especially for those who enjoy outdoor pursuits, has always attracted prospective tenants and we think these statistics will encourage more to consider moving away from an urban setting. Furthermore tenants of rural lets tend to stay longer and become established in the property which is of benefit to landlords in securing longer term leases,’ she explained.
She also pointed out that there are factors to take into account, such as the cost of transport when living in a rural location, but this can often be balanced against other expenditure. ‘Many of our rural properties are becoming increasingly energy efficient and we see huge interest in properties with features such as wood burning stoves that can save tenants a huge amount of money on their energy bills, money which can be used to offset other costs,’ explained Kenyon.
‘Landlords of rural lets can also be more lenient than urban property owners when it comes to allowing pets. However, the main thought that the relative scarcity of rural properties in comparison to urban homes will drive up rental prices is not borne out by our research and suggests that tenants who would like to enjoy a rural idyll could achieve it within their budget,’ she added.
