The rate of 5.3 per cent between 2006 and 2007 is consistent with previous years, taking account of housing stock transfers to registered social landlords.

The report, Local Authority Housing Income and Expenditure 2005-06 to 2007-08, shows there is a range of £20.04 between the highest and the lowest rents, with City of Edinburgh Council is expected to have the highest rent in Scotland (£58.11) and Moray Council remains the lowest (£38.07).

Average management and maintenance expenditure is expected to increase by 3.4 per cent to £1,656 per unit, with supervision and management costs, which is part of management and maintenance, are expected to increase by 4 per cent to an average of £630 per unit.

Repairs and maintenance is reported to be an average of £1,026 per unit, an increase of 3.1 per cent on 2006-07, with Renfrewshire reporting the highest level of expenditure per unit (£1,397) and Angus the lowest (£568 per unit).

Housing debt in Scottish councils is higher than last year, although there is still a wide variation across local authorities in their levels of debt, with Orkney Islands remaining debt free, whereas Shetland and City of Edinburgh continue to have the highest outstanding housing debt of £28,121 and £12,475 per unit respectively.

The full statistical bulletin is available here .

Related news items:

• 'Useless' Home Reports attacked by Conservatives
• Action urged on housing crisis
• Affordable housing investment announced for Borders
• Audit of Scots language announced
• Brown to make housing a political priority