Shelter Scotland has urged struggling tenants to seek help after it was revealed that Aberdeen City Council is owed more than £2 million in rent payments.

According to the Evening Express, the local authority is due £2.6m from tenants of its properties. More than 6,000 people were in arrears in council rent by the end of the 2015/16 financial year.

A group of 13 tenants owed more than £3,000 each to the council in rent payments. There were 2,440 tenants who were due between £50.01 and £250, 2,409 residents owed between £250.01 and £1,000 and 653 owed rent payments of £1,000 or more.

More than 8,000 warning letters were sent out by Aberdeen City Council in a bid to retrieve the owed money throughout 2015/16. During that time almost 2,000 eviction proceedings were started and 132 repossessions took place.

Housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland has analysed the rent arrears owed by council tenants in Aberdeen.

Graeme Brown, a director of the charity, told the newspaper: “A perfect storm of stagnant wages, job instability and welfare reforms means thousands of families and individuals across Aberdeen are facing tough decisions every day about how they manage their household budgets.

“We urge anyone who is struggling to pay for their housing costs seek help.”