1000 homes left empty for 10 years
Call to renovate vacant houses to tackle Scotland’s homeless crisis
MORE than 1000 flats and houses that could be used to ease the homeless crisis have been lying empty for more than 10 years.
Figures obtained by the Scottish Lib Dems reveal there are more than 20,000 long-term vacant private sector homes in 23 of Scotland’s 31 local authority areas surveyed.
Almost 1000 of the properties have been empty for more than a decade.
Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: “Thousands of houses and flats across the country have been empty for years on end.
“With the right incentives and help, many of these could be resurrected.”
The figures show 20,027 vacant private sector homes in the 23 local authorities, with 927 being vacant for more than 10 years.
In one example, Midlothian Council said they knew of a home that’s been empty since April 1993.
The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership say it costs £6000 to £25,000 to refurbish an empty home, compared with the average £100,000 new build cost.
Rennie said: “It is typically far cheaper to renovate an existing home than it is to build a new one.
“That’s why Scottish Liberal Democrats are calling for the Scottish Government to introduce a new help-to-renovate loan to get existing vacant properties up to scratch and back in use.”
Last week, it was revealed there are more than 6500 children living in temporary accommodation.