Housing statistics 2016: key trends summary

Houses in Multiple Occupation ( HMO)

The most recent figures as at 31 ^st March 2016 show 15,034 licences in force, 1% higher than the previous year.

The number of licences in force has generally increased since the introduction of the mandatory licensing scheme in 2001. The most recent figures for 2016 show 15,034 licences in force at 31 ^st March, 1% higher than the previous year. Of the licences in force, 87% are accounted for by just five local authorities - Aberdeen City, Dundee City, City of Edinburgh, Fife and Glasgow City. City of Edinburgh alone holds an estimated 40% of Scotland's HMO licences.

Chart 20 below shows the number of licences in force at 31 ^st March 2016, by the type of property. Flats or houses to let as a whole are by far the largest HMO type (63%), with specific student accommodation within halls of residence accounting for a further 8%.

Chart 20: HMO license in force, by type, March 2016

There were 8,852 applications received in 2015-16, 2% more than the year before. A fifth of these were new applications, and the remainder were applications for licence renewals.