The bank looked at household expenses

A Bank of Scotland review has found that it costs an average of �5,714 to run a house in Scotland, compared to a UK average of �5,666.

The study shows that council taxes, maintenance and fuel costs accounted for a large part of the difference.

Council tax made up 18% of the costs in Scotland, 3% above the UK average.

The figures include all the elements which make up the cost of running a home, from mortgage interest payments to council tax, water and power bills, phone bills and toiletries.

RUNNING A HOME IN SCOTLAND Mortgage interest and council tax 48% Power 13% Maintenance 8% Water and miscellaneous services 6% Telephone 6% Appliances 5% Household insurance 5% Goods and services 4% Toiletries 3% Source: Bank of Scotland

London tops the league table for household running costs, at �7,155, and Scotland comes in fourth place behind the south east and eastern England.

Only three parts of the UK have household running costs under the �5,000 level - Northern Ireland at �4,698, Wales at �4,683 and Yorkshire and the Humber at �4,567.

Higher-than-average council tax bills and fuel costs were said to be responsible for the Scottish figure, while the high south of England figures were explained by higher mortgages.

But when expressed as a percentage of gross household income, the cost of housing in Scotland is slightly below the UK average.

Across the UK, the gross household income is �33,376 and housing accounts for 17% of this, but in Scotland the figures are �34,077 and 16.8%.

London is near the bottom of the list at 16.1% - but the bank said this was explained by higher incomes in the capital, where gross household incomes are �44,312.

Bank of Scotland group economist Tim Crawford said: "Even though interest rates have been at close to record lows over the past two years, the cost of owning and running a house in Scotland continues to grow.