Double amount of empty homes brought back into use thanks to charity partnership
Homes with a market value nearing £100 million were brought back into use last year, according to the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP).
Figures show 558 private empty homes were regenerated and made fit for habitation, double the figure of 278 from the previous year.
With the average cost of bringing an empty property back into use standing at £15,500 and the average cost of a new build home in Scotland being £100,000, SEHP says that bringing empty homes back onto the market makes good financial sense both for the owners and local authorities.
The news comes following the publication of the SEHP’s 2014-15 annual report.
Run by housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government, SEHP has helped restore almost 1,000 empty properties across Scotland into homes again, either for sale, rent or owner occupation since its launch in 2010.
Bringing Scotland’s empty homes back into use represents great value for money - Graeme Brown
Working with the network of empty homes officers in over half of Scotland’s local authorities, the partnership says there is still more work to be done to bring more of Scotland’s 27,000 long-term private empty homes back into use.
Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “Bringing Scotland’s empty homes back into use represents great value for money but it also provides homes to families and individuals who would otherwise struggle to afford a home of their own, or would be forced into expensive private rents.
“Not only has the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership helped 558 families and individuals realise their dream of a home, empty homes work across Scotland has assisted the owners of these properties to make the most of their assets, while regenerating local communities and neighbourhoods.”
Official statistics show that there are 150,500 families and individuals in Scotland on council house waiting lists and over 35,000 households made homelessness applications in the last year.
Scottish Government communities minister, Marco Biagi MSP, said: “We want communities across Scotland to thrive and meet the needs of residents, businesses and visitors. Bringing empty homes back into use is an important part of this vision and it’s vital to make the best possible use of these properties.
“Our support for the partnership, our work to encourage empty homes back into use and our recent announcement of a new £4 million Town Centre Empty Homes Fund shows the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to making best use of our housing stock.
“I’m delighted to see the Empty Homes Partnership is helping to achieve this across Scotland, creating stronger communities.”
