Too many properties lying empty

There are more properties sitting vacant in Renfrewshire than there were homeless families last year.

Scottish Government figures show there are currently 782 properties that have been empty for six months or more, and 153 second homes in Renfrewshire.

The Express reported last week that there had been 737 households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness – up from 700 in the previous year.

The statistics came from the Scottish Government’s Homelessness in Scotland: update to September 30, 2022.

West Scotland MSP Ross Greer says that a recent increase in a tax known as Additional Dwelling Supplement can help to tackle inequality in housing across Renfrewshire, address the hoarding of properties by big landlords and reduce the damage caused by holiday homes.

The supplement is an additional tax paid by those purchasing a property which is not their primary home, such as buy-to-let landlords second home owners.

It has been increased from four per cent to six per cent.

Ross Greer, Scottish Green MSP for Renfrewshire, said: “People desperately need good quality and affordable housing, yet, all across Renfrewshire, there are far too many homes sitting empty for most of the year, or being bought up by landlords for commercial letting.

“The increase in the Additional Dwelling Supplement will help to redress that balance by adding an extra disincentive for those thinking of buying a second home, making it easier for younger people in particular to buy their first home.

“It will also raise tens of millions of pounds to keep our public services going during this cost-of-living crisis.

“That money will come overwhelmingly from those who are already wealthy enough to be able to buy extra properties, something totally outwith the reach of most people.

“Many young people are locked into expensive private renting for much longer than they would wish. A lot of them would far rather own their own home, so this change is also about reducing generational inequality.

“Shifting the balance away from multiple propertyownership towards firsttime buyers will be a very positive outcome of this change. It sits alongside other measures such as the rent freeze, introduced by the Scottish Greens, and new powers for councils to crack down on the spread of short term AirBnB style lets, all of which will contribute to addressing the inequality in our housing sector.”