'My rent was higher than my student loan' - the booming cost of private halls

You don't have to walk far in any university city before spotting some form of private Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA).

These large blocks of student housing are springing up in cities across the UK, yet rents continue to soar and young people studying at university say they're still finding it difficult to secure a place to live.

The increase in PBSA has predominantly been driven by private companies, with many developments targeting more affluent international and postgraduate students, who industry experts say are becoming increasingly important to the sector.

Developers say they are meeting a market demand but campaigners argue that they are too expensive for most Scottish students and more affordable housing should be being built instead.

Twenty-year-old Lara Reader told the BBC that when she applied for student accommodation at Edinburgh University she did not expect to be allocated the most expensive option on her list.

Like many first-year students, Lara selected from a mix of university-owned and privately-operated halls which cater solely to the city's huge student population.

She was given a room in Brae House, one of the many private PBSAs in the city.

PBSAs typically offer en-suite bedrooms and studio apartments alongside premium facilities such as gyms, study areas and social spaces - but they also come at a higher price point than traditional student halls.

The rent for Lara's room was £1,022 per month, more than £200 higher than her monthly student maintenance loan.

Despite it being beyond her budget, Lara accepted the offer because of the difficulty of finding student housing in Edinburgh.

She said the cost hung over much of her first year at university and she was "constantly stressing" about how much money she was having to put towards rent.

To cover the shortfall, she worked 20 hours per week alongside her studies, a decision she says contributed to her failing her first-year exams.

"I was exhausted all the time," she said. "I just didn't have enough time to study."

"It makes it so difficult for students like me who don't come from a super wealthy background to find an affordable place to live."