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Scotland targets empty homes with multimillion-pound recruitment drive
The Scottish government has launched a multimillion-pound recruitment drive to help bring more empty houses back into use.
The Scottish government has launched a multimillion-pound recruitment drive to help bring more empty houses back into use #UKhousingHolyrood will invest £2m into efforts to fill vacant properties, including creating new empty-homes officer posts in at least nine local councils.
The funding, delivered through this year’s Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, will also be used to train new staff and support councils to make compulsory purchase orders.
Màiri McAllan, the Scottish cabinet secretary for housing, said: “Bringing homes back into use is a vital part of our plan to tackle the housing emergency.
“When too many families are struggling to find somewhere to live, it is unacceptable to me that houses should lie empty.”
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Empty-homes officers are employed by councils in Scotland and work with people who either own or are considering buying a vacant property.
The roles are supported by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, a non-profit run by charity Shelter Scotland which has brought more than 11,000 homes back into use since its launch in 2010.
As of September 2024, Scotland had more than 43,538 empty properties, with nearly three-quarters (73%) vacant for over a year.
Ms McAllan added: “It’s important to help councils step up measures to turn privately owned empty properties into much-needed homes, and it’s encouraging that local authorities have already come forward to make use of this support.
“As the first minister has set out, this government is determined to eradicate child poverty – and tackling the housing emergency by making sure families have access to a home is a crucial part of that.”
Tahmina Nizam, national manager of the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, said: “Every home matters as we work together to end Scotland’s housing emergency.
“In councils across the country, empty-homes officers are delivering results, with over 11,000 homes having been brought back into use since 2010.
“The additional posts supported by this funding will expand on that vital work. New empty-homes officers are already in post at the City of Edinburgh Council, while recruitment is underway in several other local authorities.”
A poll earlier this year found that more than 40% of adults in Scotland think their local authority is currently doing too little to tackle empty homes in their area.
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