The number of privately rented rented homes has almost tripled since 1999, with one in seven households now in this type of accommodation.

Figures for 2015 show 14% of all Scottish households rent their property from either a private landlord, or a family member, friend or their employer, compared to 5% in 1999.

The latest Scottish Household Survey found 61% of people are owner-occupiers - the same proportion as in 1999 but down from the high of 66% which was last recorded in 2009.

Less than a quarter (23%) of households are living in either a council or housing association property, compared to 32% 16 years ago.

The overall number of households in Scotland has increased 11% from 2.19 million in 1999 to 2.43 million in 2015.

More than two-fifths (43%) of private renters have been in their home for less than a year, the 2015 survey found, while more than half (53%) expect to move in the next five years.

The housing charity Shelter Scotland said the research is "further confirmation" that continued reforms are needed in the private rental sector to make it "more modern, stable, flexible and fairer for everyone that calls it home".

Spokesman Adam Lang said: "Private renting in Scotland has tripled since 1999 with 350,000 households calling the sector home - including 91,000 with children.

"This growth along with major changes to the type of people now renting privately meant reform of the sector was vital. Shelter Scotland has been spearheading the push for reform to bring greater protection and increased security and fairness for tenants.

"Progressive and far-reaching changes in the laws on private renting - such as the new private tenancy - are a big step forward and will have a profound impact on how the sector is run.

"The challenge now is to enforce the legislation and to see that poorly performing landlords are supported to improve their practice and the worst landlords are removed from the sector."

The survey also found fewer people are satisfied with the key public services of health, schools and public transport - with the proportion happy with all three falling from 62% in 2014 to 58% in 2015.

Satisfaction with schools has dipped over the last four years, from a high of 85% in 2011 to the current level of 74%.

The number of households connected to the internet remains unchanged at 80%, but the report found "gaps in internet access and use remain amongst certain groups including those in deprived areas, those in social housing and those on low incomes".

Green housing spokesman Andy Wightman said the rise in renting shows "how dysfunctional our housing supply has become."

He added: "Far too many people are being forced into renting due to unaffordable property prices and a lack of genuine housing tenure.

"We need to see transformative action over this Parliament to enable affordable and high quality housing for all."