The National Association of Estate Agents and Association of Residential Lettings Agents have hosted a round table discussion of property issues in Scotland.

ARLA managing director David Cox met last week with Glasgow-based David Mackie, president-elect of the NAEA, at the event, which was chaired by Joe Lynam in Glasgow.

The discussion was the fifth in a series of events being held across the UK, which bring local stakeholders together to discuss issues such as obstacles to home ownership, the rental market and affordability, as well as the importance and feasibility of building new homes.

Mackie said: “Discussions like this are really important to ensure those in the sector work together and share information, as ultimately these are people’s homes we are talking about. It’s a minefield.

“There are so many challenges facing both policy makers and consumers in terms of providing stability to the market, quality of homes available and ensuring we can build new homes both in terms of  skill shortages and planning.”

Cox said: “Every home-owner, tenant and landlord out there wants to see changes to the housing market.

“Over the next ten years, the growing gap between supply and demand is set to widen, and what feels like a crisis situation for many is set to get worse – unless we act now.

“These debates provide an opportunity to consider what would really make a difference to the housing situation at a regional level.”

It comes after ARLA and NAEA’s Housing 2025 report, released in December, found that in Scotland, house prices have more than doubled between 2000 and 2016, from £73,717 to £199,807.

Over the next ten years, prices are set to increase by another 41% – reaching an average £281,445 by 2025, according to the report, while rents are set to rise by 24%.