A survey of people renting their homes privately debunks undermines claims of 'rip-off' rents, it has been claimed.

Of 6,448 Scots surveyed for property agency Lettingweb, more than 80% said their tenancy had been managed quite or very well by their landlord, while 86% said their rents had not gone up over the last year.

The survey found that average rents for a two bed property in Glasgow had fallen from £680 in the previous quarter to £662, and from £826 to £809 in Edinburgh. Dundee had also experienced a cooling in rent levels, from £571 to £545.

Lettingstats, which carried out the survey, said caution should be exercised over any one quarter's movements, but said private rents in Scotland had increased by less than the rate of inflation over the past eight years, and significantly less than the increase in rents in the social rented sector over the same period.

Lettingweb said the survey questioned the need for moves in Parliament to control "rip off rents"and claimed it showed tenants welcome the flexibility and security of the private rented sector.

Dan Cookson, Head of Research at Lettingweb commented: "This is the mythbuster report - as it destroys many preconceptions of the sector.

"The overwhelming picture is that rents are unlikely to rise during leases and that landlords treat their tenants well."