Housing statistics 2018: key trends summary

Local Authority Vacant Stock

At 31st March 2018 local authorities reported 7,140 units of vacant stock, an increase of 976 units (16%) on the 6,164 units in the previous year.

There were increases in the number of vacant units awaiting demolition (an increase of 503, or 32%, from 1,564 to 2,067), the number of vacant units part of a modernisation programme (an increase of 310, or 28%, from 1,121 to 1,431), and vacant normal letting stock (an increase of 319, or 14%, from 2,346 to 2,665). There were decreases in the number of vacant units used as temporary accommodation for the homeless (a decrease of 7, or 1%, from 481 to 474), and vacant units in low demand areas (a decrease of 149, or 23%, from 652 to 503).

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. Of the 7,140 units, 29% were awaiting demolition or sale, 7% were in a low demand area, 20% were part of a modernisation programme, and a further 8% were used as temporary accommodation for the homeless. Of the vacant stock, 37% was normal letting stock or other vacant stock, which represents 1% of all local authority normal letting stock.

Chart 11 below illustrates that the length of time that properties have been vacant is closely related to the reason for the vacancy. Normal letting stock, or temporary homeless accommodation tends to be empty for less time than other types of vacant stock. For example, at March 2018 just under a third (30%) of vacant normal letting stock had been vacant for less than two weeks, and only 2% had been vacant for over two years. This compares to over half (60%) of vacant stock awaiting demolition which was vacant for over two years, and just 1% vacant for less than two weeks.

Chart 11: Vacant local authority stock by length of time vacant and reason for vacancy, March 2018

Vacant stock in each local authority area (except those which have transferred their social housing stock) is shown in Chart 12. 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 2018

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