MSPs open inquiry into level of homes sitting empty

A Holyrood committee has begun an inquiry into the extent of empty homes in Scotland and how these can be brought back into use.

MSPs on the Local Government & Communities Committee have issued a call for evidence to help them examine the scale of the issue, the effectiveness of current legislation and what more can be done to prevent properties remaining empty for extended periods of time.

National Records of Scotland data from 2017 has shown that 4% of the dwellings in Scotland are unoccupied, and the committee’s inquiry will investigate why.

Further points on which the committee is interested to hear views include whether the problem affects all tenures of housing, the impact on communities in areas where there are large numbers of empty homes, whether the issue is a problem in particular areas and if so, why, and whether any areas have made progress in addressing the issue of empty homes. 

The committee is not looking at second homes as part of its inquiry, as these are distinct from empty homes.

Committee convener James Dornan MSP commented: "There are a number of reasons why a property can be empty, but empty homes can have a huge impact on communities and reduce available housing supply at a time when housing is in great demand.

"The Committee will explore the extent of the problem and the impact this can have in both urban and rural communities across Scotland.

"We want to ensure local authorities have appropriate powers to tackle this issue and that everything possible is being done to encourage owners to put these empty homes back into use. To do this we want to hear from local authorities, housing experts and those who have been impacted by empty homes in their communities."

Click here to view the call for evidence. Submissions are due by 17 May 2019.