A mobile phone app that could reduce disputes between landlords and their tenants has been launched.

Housing charity Shelter Scotland created the free Housemate app for iPhones in a bid to help prevent and resolve rows over tenancy deposits.

Director Graeme Brown hailed it as a "simple but highly effective" tool.

The Housemate app, which is sponsored by the property services group Orchard and Shipman, generates a full digital inventory of a property's contents and condition, with photos included.

The creators of the app hope these inventories will be so comprehensive that there will be few grounds for argument between landlords and their tenants when it comes to returning a deposit at the end of a tenancy.

Mr Brown said: "Too many tenants have all or part of their deposit withheld unfairly and their chances of arguing successfully for its return are often compromised by a lack of evidence.

"With Housemate, both tenant and landlord will have the proof they need.

"Not only does it create a full record of what a property contains and the condition it's in, it also includes photographic evidence.

"The resulting inventory can then be shared via email. It's simple but highly effective.

"We hope that for users of Housemate arguments over deposits will become a thing of the past and landlords and tenants alike can enjoy a positive, mutually-beneficial relationship."