Empty properties, September 2024

Information on empty properties is collected each year from local authorities through the Scottish Government’s council tax base (CTAXBASE) data collection. Data presented is for:

• Empty Properties: properties which have been empty for more than 6 months and are liable for council tax. Of which, there are long term empty properties (empty for more than 12 months).
• Unoccupied Exemptions: the total number of dwellings exempt from Council Tax due to being unoccupied. Examples being housing awaiting demolition or a new build waiting to be occupied (please refer to the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) (Scotland) Order 1997 for more information).

In September 2024 the guidance for empty properties data collection was strengthened to ensure that councils excluded properties empty less than 6 months from their data return (in CTAXBASE 8b).  It was discovered that prior to 2024 some councils had included these in their return to the Scottish Government. Empty homes (properties empty for more than 6 months) will therefore be overstated in such instances; however, we are not able to quantify the impact of their inclusion on published statistics before 2024.

There were 43,538 properties that had been empty for more than 6 months as of September 2024. Aberdeen City (13%; 5,793) reported the highest proportion of Scotland’s empty properties and East Renfrewshire reported the lowest proportion (0%; 62).

Just under three quarters (31,596 or 73%) of empty properties were long term empty properties. Highland (12%; 3,660) reported the highest proportion of Scotland’s long term empty properties and East Renfrewshire reported no long-term empty properties.

Within local authority areas, the proportion of empty properties that were long term empty properties varied. From 0% in East Renfrewshire to 98% of empty properties in Highland.

Map B shows in September 2024, the highest empty homes rates were in Na h-Eileanan Siar (478), Aberdeen City (466) and Shetland Islands (409), which had rates of more than 400 empty homes per 10,000 dwellings. The lowest rates were observed in 10 local authorities which each had rates of 100 empty homes or fewer per 10,000 dwellings.

Map B: Empty properties (>6 months): rates per 10,000 dwellings in September 2024.

24,140 (76%) of long-term empty properties were reported with a discount below 10% or an increase applied due to being a long term empty property.

As of September 2024, there were 47,779 unoccupied exemptions. This represented a 1% (485) increase from 2023.

Chart 2: The number of empty properties, long term empty properties and unoccupied exemptions, according to council tax data, 2005 to 2024.

Chart 2 illustrates the trend in empty and unoccupied exemptions from 2005 to 2024. Long term empty property data is presented from 2013 to 2024. There was an increase in the number of empty properties in 2020, which was likely to be associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic directly affected both the property rental and sales markets, with the movement restrictions in place also having a range of other impacts. The number of empty properties decreased after 2020.

When comparing 2024 to 2005, there was an:

• increase of 184% (28,225) in empty homes.
• increase of 3% (1,249) in unoccupied exemptions.

When comparing long-term empty homes there has been an increase of 158% (19,365) since 2013.

When comparing 2024 with 2023, there has been a:

• decrease of 6% (2,679) in empty homes, which is likely to be associated with a programme of work to clarify that empty homes should only be recorded at 6 months or over (as described in the next paragraph). This decrease was driven by the City of Edinburgh, where data from 2024 is now provided for empty homes 6 months or over (decrease of 57%, -4,107).
• increase of 12% (3,316) in long term empty homes (empty for over 12 months).
• increase of 1% (486) in unoccupied exemptions.

Map C shows that in September 2024, the highest long term empty property rates were in Na h-Eileanan Siar (436) and Shetland Islands (375) which had rates of more than 300 long term empty properties per 10,000 dwellings.

The lowest rates were observed in 14 local authorities which each had rates of 100 long term empty properties or fewer per 10,000 dwellings.

Map C: Long term empty properties (>12 months): rates per 10,000 dwellings in September 2024.