A Scots teenager has been left sofa-surfing for months as he has been unable to find anywhere to rent in Edinburgh.
Luke Gregory, from Dundee, bagged a new job after finishing high school this summer and was excited to make the move to the Scottish capital but the adventure has turned into a nightmare.
Since September, the 19-year-old has been flat hunting to avoid a lengthy two-hour commute to his role as a risk and compliance operator at a city centre finance firm - but has been left sleeping on friends' sofas.
He has inquired about 300 flats in the time and has only managed to secure 10 viewings. Last week a desperate Luke admitted he nearly fell for a scam but thankfully no money was exchanged.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, he said: I'm trying to be positive about it, but it scares the hell out of my parent.
"My parents have been massively helpful, I'm really lucky. Things got really bad recently, I was even looking at hostels and I just had to come home for Christmas."
Luke started his new job in October. At first, a family friend let him stay for the first three weeks until they went on holiday, meaning he then had find alternative accommodation. Edinburgh is in the grips of a housing crisis as demand for homes rises along with prices.
"I've been living out of my old rugby bag since October," he said. I just pack my work clothes and toiletries and go home at the weekend to pack clean clothes.
"I've got two good mates in Edinburgh who I jump between. I know it's awful and I'm such a leech for doing it, so I just stay at one of theirs from Monday to Wednesday, and then the other until Friday night.
"But it's been tough. Especially during their exam time when they are both stressed and then there's me sleeping on their couch - it's embarrassing."
Luke thinks it's his age that is holding him back from successfully getting a flat, even when looking for flatshares.
He continued: "Even though I work full-time, I am only 19. Maybe when I'm 30 or 40, I'd think 'I don't want a 19 living with me!' So I'm looking for post-graduates, or even students if they don't mind me paying council tax.
"But when I'm looking at flatshares, I do say I work in the office 9-5, I'm not a big party animal, I don't rave, I don't smoke or have any pets... but still there's nothing."
Luke has had just 10 viewings, despite all of his efforts. In one instance, he explained his mum took the day off work, picked his little brother up from school and drove them all down from Dundee to Edinburgh to view a flat.
He said: "It sounded like it was guaranteed to me to be honest, the estate agent sounded really promising. We got into Edinburgh, were taking a picture by the Christmas tree at the Mound and I got a text saying the flat had been given to someone else.
"I just felt gutted for my mum! She had come all this way, and then drove back that night for nothing. So then I posted on flatshare groups on Facebook, thinking hopefully someone will know someone who can help me."
While he is grateful of an understanding employer, allowing him to work from home from time to time, Luke is feeling the strain on his social life.
He added: "I do a lot of social activities, like rugby, or boxing or chess, and can't exactly do that here. I can't bring muddy rugby boots into my friends house, I don't have anywhere to put them or carry round boxing gloves.
"Even this Christmas, I love my record player, and my gran asked if I wanted a vinyl. And it's like, there's no point. I won't be able to use it for months! It's just tough."
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