Rents in Dublin grew by 2.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013, when compared with the third quarter, according to a report published Thursday by the Dublin-based Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

While rents for houses in Dublin increased by 0.8 percent, rents for Dublin apartments rose by 3.1 percent compared with the third quarter, ESRI figures showed.

Rents for properties outside Dublin were down by 0.9 percent in the fourth quarter, when compared with the third quarter. Rents for houses outside Dublin recorded a quarterly decline of two percent. The index for apartment rents outside Dublin, however, recorded a quarterly increase of 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter.

In recent years rental growth often weakened in the fourth quarter, following high activity levels in the third quarter, consistent with the demand for student accommodation in that time period. These latest numbers for the fourth quarter are in line with the previous trends, according to the ESRI report.

On an annual basis, rents nationally in the fourth quarter of 2013 were 3.3 percent higher than the same period in 2012. The differing performance by location and property type evident in the quarterly change is also present in the annual rates of change, the report said.