McAllan pledges more staff for ‘vital’ work bringing empty homes back into use

More specialist staff are being recruited to help bring Scotland’s empty homes back into use – with Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan saying such action is “vital” in tackling the nation’s housing emergency.

Nine of Scotland’s 32 local authorities have already agreed to recruit additional empty home officers – who will seek to ensure fewer privately-owned dwellings are left unoccupied.

The new posts are part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership for 2025-26.

Figures from September last year showed there were 43,538 homes across the country that had been lying empty for at least six months – with almost three-quarters (73%) of these vacant for more than a year.

Ms McAllan, who took on the role of Housing Secretary after a Cabinet reshuffle last month, said: “Bringing homes back into use is a vital part of our plan to tackle the housing emergency.

“When too many families are struggling to find somewhere to live, it is unacceptable to me that that houses should lie empty.”

Scottish Government figures show that over the six months from April 1 to September 30 2024, there were 17,424 households assessed as being either homeless or threatened with homelessness.

In September last year there were a record 16,634 households living in temporary accommodation – with this including 10,360 children.

Ms McAllan added: “It’s important to help councils step up measures to turn privately-owned empty properties into much-needed homes and it’s encouraging that local authorities have already come forward to make use of this support.

“As the First Minister has set out, this Government is determined to eradicate child poverty – and tackling the housing emergency by making sure families have access to a home is a crucial part of that.”

Since 2010, empty homes officers have brought more than 11,000 properties back into use, the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership said.

Its national manager, Tahmina Nizam, welcomed the commitment to recruit more such staff and said: “Every home matters as we work together to end Scotland’s housing emergency.

“In councils across the country empty homes officers are delivering results, with over 11,000 homes having brought back into use since 2010.

“The additional posts supported by this funding will expand on that vital work. New empty homes officers are already in post at City of Edinburgh Council, while recruitment is under way in several other local authorities.

“Homes weren’t built to sit empty – every empty home has the potential to transform a family or individual’s life, but collectively they have an enormous role to play in reducing housing need and tackling the housing emergency.

“We look forward to welcoming more new empty homes officers as they come into post and supporting their efforts to bring more homes back into use.”