How we can help
We provide advice to anyone who is concerned about an empty home. Unfortunately, when homes are left empty overgrown gardens, maintenance issues and anti-social behaviour can become a problem for neighbours and other community members.
Neighbour Toolkit
Is an empty home causing you problems?
Our Empty Homes Advisers looked at the common problems faced by people living next to empty homes in Scotland. We produced a toolkit with more information and advice on these issues. This is split into 5 separate themes:-
Getting in touch: What happens?
- When you get in touch, we’ll ask for some information about you and the empty property. We’ll listen to your problem and ask what you would like to happen.
- We might be able to give you information straight away, or we might need to do some research and get back to you.
- Many councils have local, dedicated Empty Homes Officers. Where possible, we will put you in touch with them for local assistance. If there isn’t an Empty Homes Officer in your area, we’ll work with you directly.
How we have helped
Advice on Communal Repairs in Blocks with Empty Flats
A neighbour reported two empty properties in their block of flats to our advice service. Communal repairs were required within the block and they worried the empty properties would make organising these impossible. They hoped to sell their own home and thought that the empty homes would devalue their property. Our Empty Homes Adviser linked the neighbour with the local Empty Homes Officer (EHO), who sent information on missing shares and further guidance on communal repairs.
The neighbour is now confident she can get the work carried out and will then be able to sell her own property. Our advice service continues to support the local authority in tracing the hard-to-find owners of the empty properties.