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Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan

November 3, 2023
White farmhouse

We were pleased to see the focus given to empty homes at the Scottish Government’s parliamentary debate on Tuesday on their Rural Housing and Island’s Housing Action Plan from all political parties. Attention was given to the blight of empty homes on rural communities, the positive impact empty homes can have for example in housing…

Strategic Framework launched to help to tackle Scotland’s empty homes

September 15, 2023

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) has today published new guidance setting out how some of Scotland’s 42,000+ long term empty homes can be used to help to tackle Scotland’s housing emergency. The Strategic Empty Homes Framework guidance and template were developed in partnership with Arneil Johnston, Scotland’s foremost specialist housing consultants, and set out…

New figures show 9000 Scottish empty homes brought back into use

June 15, 2023

A report published today by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) shows that more than 9,000 long term empty homes have been brought back into use in Scotland since the partnership was established in 2010. In its latest impact report, the SEHP reported that Empty Homes Officers supported owners to bring 1,257 long-term empty homes…

SEHP in the news

May 22, 2023

Coverage National Empty homes to be used to tackle housing shortage (also on pg14 of the print edition) Daily Record Scottish Housing News New partnership to target empty homes for remote essential worker housing

‘Ground-breaking’ new partnership to target empty homes for remote essential worker housing

May 22, 2023
Cullipool

An innovative new partnership has been launched that will see empty homes in Argyll and Bute being brought back into use to help to tackle the shortage of affordable housing for health and social care workers across the region. The two-year project is being funded by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) and Argyll and…

Welcome fall in empty homes but cost of living crisis threatens progress

January 25, 2023

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) has welcomed a fall in the number of long-term empty properties in Scotland but warned the cost-of-living crisis may make it harder to sell homes or refurbish empty properties in the year ahead.  Statistics published today by the Scottish Government show the number of long-term empty properties fell for…

Shetland economy could reap the benefits of bringing empty homes back in to use

October 19, 2022
Shaheena Din, Scottish Empty Homes Partnership

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership and Salmon Scotland have made a joint call for vacant properties to be brought back in to use to tackle the rural housing crisis in Shetland. New analysis shows that almost shows five per cent of homes in Shetland (558) were long-term empty in 2021, with around 400 of those…

Over 1,150 empty homes brought back into use in Scotland in 2020/21

May 24, 2022
Cullipool

A report published today by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership shows how Empty Homes Officers throughout Scotland helped to bring more than 1,150 empty properties back into use last year. The figures show that almost 70% of these properties had been empty for two years or longer. You can view all of this information at…

Fewer empty homes but more to do as numbers remain above pre-pandemic levels

May 12, 2022
Empty Homes by Local Authority 2020-21

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) has welcomed a fall in the number of long-term empty properties in Scotland but urged councils to make tackling empty homes a key part of their housing strategy, as numbers remain above pre-pandemic levels. Statistics published today by the Scottish Government showed that the number of long-term empty properties…

Scottish Empty Homes Awards Winners 2022 Announced

March 28, 2022

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Argyll & Bute Council, South of Scotland Community Housing, and a Falkirk Council officer were the winners at the 11th Scottish Empty Homes Awards, sponsored by Auction House Scotland. The awards, announced at the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership’s annual conference held on 22nd March at the COSLA Conference Centre, recognised the efforts of…