Introduction

This statistical publication presents latest figures (September 2024) on empty properties, unoccupied exemptions and second homes sourced from council tax base returns collected annually from local authorities. Data relates to all stock of all tenures, including social housing, private rented housing, and owner-occupied homes.

Timeseries for annual data, along with local authority breakdowns, are contained in the supporting long term empty properties and second homes web tables.

Prior to this publication, empty homes data were published in the December quarterly housebuilding release. This publication has been created to make it easier for users of these data to find commentary on second homes and empty homes.

An official statistics publication for Scotland

These statistics are official statistics. Official statistics are statistics that are produced by crown bodies, those acting on behalf of crown bodies, or those specified in statutory orders, as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

Scottish Government statistics are regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

More information about Scottish Government statistics is available on the Scottish Government website.