New lease of life for vacant properties

ALMOST 560 private homes that had been lying empty have been brought back into use in the past year.

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) helped ensure 558 vacant properties, worth an estimated £93 million, are being used again. The project was set up in 2010 and has now seen 1,000 proper ties returned to use as homes.

But with an estimated 27,000 private-sector properties across the country still lying empty, it is calling for more to be done. The SEHP wants all 32 of Scotland’s councils to employ a permanent empty homes officer.

In addition, it wants local authorities to be given a “housing re-use power” to allow them to either lease or force the sale of long-term empty homes as a last resort.

The SEHP is run by the housing charity Shelter Scotland with funding from the Scottish Government.

Graeme Brown, Shelter Scotland director, said: “Bringing empty homes back into use represents great value for money but it also provides homes to people who would otherwise struggle to afford a home of their own or would be forced into expensive private rents.

“Not only has the SEHP helped 558 families and individuals realise their dream of a home, empty homes work has assisted the owners of these proper ties to make the most of their assets while regenerating local neighbourhoods.”

Scottish Government communities minister Marco Biagi said: “Our support for the partnership, our work to encourage empty homes back into use and a £4 million Town Centre Empty Homes Fund show our continued commitment to making best use of our housing stock.”