By Justina Ilkevičiūtė, LRT TV, LRT.lt.

Rents in Lithuania have risen among the fastest in the EU over the past 15 years, with only Estonia recording a larger increase, according to Eurostat data.

Estate agents say the profile of the ideal tenant has remained largely unchanged for years. Single women are considered the easiest tenants to place, while people with young children or pets face a much harder time finding a home.

There are fewer flats available than people looking to rent, pushing prices up year after year. Autumn is the worst time to look for a property, as an influx of students into the major cities drives rents to their highest levels.

“In December and January, rents will ease by 5 to 10%. In the longer term, prices are still rising by at least 5 to 7% a year. They are not rising as sharply as sale prices. We have to acknowledge that sale prices are actually increasing by 12 to 15% a year,” says Marius Čiulada, an estate agent at Ober-Haus.

Eurostat data shows that rents in Lithuania more than doubled over the 15 years from 2010, rising by 177%. However, SEB bank economist Tadas Povilauskas says incomes have risen at a similarly rapid pace.

Read more: LRT.LT