Housing statistics 2016: key trends summary

Local Authority Vacant Stock

At 31st March 2016 local authorities reported 6,181 units of vacant stock, a decrease of 5% on the 6,515 units in the previous year.

Of this, 23% of units were awaiting demolition, 14% were in a low demand area, 15% were part of a modernisation programme, 7% were used as temporary accommodation for the homeless, 39% were normal letting stock, and the remaining 2% were categorised any other stock.

Local authority dwellings can be vacant for a variety of reasons, such as being part of a planned disposal or modernisation/repair programme, or being in low demand areas. At 31 ^st March 2016 local authorities reported 6,181 units of vacant stock, down from 6,515 in the previous year. This continues the longer term reduction in the number of vacant dwellings, mainly due to falling numbers of stock being set aside to be demolished.

Of the 6,181 units, 23% were awaiting demolition or sale, 14% were in a low demand area, 15% were part of a modernisation programme, and a further 7% were used as temporary accommodation for the homeless. 39% of vacant stock was normal letting stock or other vacant stock, which represents 1% of all local authority normal letting stock.

Vacant stock in each local authority area (except those which have transferred their social housing stock) is shown in Chart 12 below. This shows vacant stock, by reason for vacancy, as a proportion of all local authority housing stock.

Chart 12: Vacant local authority stock as a proportion of all local authority stock: March 2016

The length of time that properties have been vacant depends on the reason for the vacancy. Normal letting stock tends to be empty for less time than other types of vacant stock. For example, at March 2016 just over a quarter (26%) of vacant normal letting stock had been vacant for less than 2 weeks, and around 4% had been vacant for over two years. Of stock awaiting demolition however, only 1% had been vacant for less than two weeks, and 56% had been vacant for over two years.

Link to tables on public authority vacant stock: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/StockManagement

National Records for Scotland ( NRS) produce statistics on occupied and vacant dwellings for all sectors each year at local authority and data zone level:
http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/housholds/household-estimates