The Scottish Household Survey said that 64% of properties in Scotland were owner-occupied, continuing the steady rise of recent years.

The study said 39% of homes are being bought with the help of a mortgage or loan, and a further 25% are owned outright.

In 1999, the level was 61% - 38% being bought with a loan, and 23% owned outright.

Mortgage payers spend about 15% of income on their house

The non-private rented sector shows a decline in the proportion of homes rented from councils, from 27% in 1999 to 23% last year.

But there was a rise in the proportion rented from housing associations, and this is likely to increase through recent changes such as the Glasgow housing stock transfer.

The survey - conducted by NFO System Three and MORI Scotland for the Scottish Executive - was based on information gathered from more than 15,000 households in 2001

It also detail the types of housing.

Across Scotland, 36% of private households live in a flat or maisonette, 22% in a semi-detached house, a further 22% in a terrace, and 20% in a detached house.

Problems with neighbours

Among mortgage-payers, the average household spends 15% of their income on its house, although one fifth are spending more than 23% and a further fifth spends less than 9%.

Householders who are renting pay more of their income than owner-occupiers - generally in the 23% range, with a fifth spending more than 34% and a fifth paying less than 14%

The study also showed fewer than 10% of adults had a dispute with a neighbour in the previous year - although the figure goes up for households with several children.

The survey also shows that almost 10% of households has had a dispute or a problem with their neighbours in the last 12 months.

People with children have a higher incidence of neighbourly disputes.

The figures show that people in rented property have the hardest time, suffering more burglaries and assaults than people who own their property.