How we have helped
If you own an empty home
We were contacted by an owner in the middle of renovating a late relative’s property they inherited. With work costing more than they thought the project progressed more slowly than planned. The unoccupied property premium, also known as the levy, had been applied to their Council Tax bill. They also experienced further delays due to…
An elderly person owned an empty property which was making them stressed and anxious. This person spoke to family members, who then contacted our Advice Service for help. The property had been empty for a number of years due to its condition. The owner found themselves in substantial debt as a result of leaving their…
Our advice service helps owners across Scotland access discounts they are entitled to. An owner of a property contacted us because their home had been empty for two years. This meant that VAT could be charged at just 5% for qualifying building repairs and renovation works, which were necessary to bring their property up to…
If you are looking to take on an empty home project
A property developer purchased an empty flat and renovated it to a lettable standard and rented it out. They saw the potential in two other empty properties in the block and were keen to make them into homes again. The developer needed to make contact with the owners but didn’t know who they were, or…
A community member got in touch as she wanted to buy and renovate a long-term empty home in her town that had been repossessed years earlier by the bank. She was aware that it had previously been advertised at auction but had not sold. She had repeatedly tried approaching the bank but could not find…
If you are an empty homes practitioner
An Empty Homes Officer (EHO) had reached a dead end tracing the owner of a property. The home had become empty because the previous owner had passed away, and their next of kin had denied responsibility for the property, despite being the listed responsible party for council tax. The practitioner had contacted the lender but…
If you live next to an empty home
A concerned neighbour contacted our advice service as there was water coming into their home from the empty property next door. This home had been empty for 7 years and its condition had gradually deteriorated. The neighbour told us the wall they shared with the empty property was damp and they could hear water trickling…
An owner reported two empty properties in her block of flats to the advice service. Communal repairs were required within the block and she was worried the empty properties would make organising these impossible. The Empty Homes Adviser linked the neighbour with local authority practitioners, who sent information on missing shares and further guidance on…