Scheme calls for compulsory sale order law to be introduced
Almost 700 empty homes were brought back into use in Scotland last year, a new report has revealed.
The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) said it helped bring 697 private empty properties, equivalent to £110 million in total value, back to the market.
While the result was welcomed, SEHP called for more to be done to bring some 34,000 long-term private empty homes across Scotland back into use.
Among its recommendations, it is calling for a new compulsory sale order law to be introduced.
The power would allow local authorities to force owners of long-term empty homes or disused land who fail to engage in the process of bringing their property up to standard and back into use, to sell up on the open market.
More than half of local authorities tell us that the introduction of a compulsory sale order would be very useful
It is hoped doing so might help reduce Scotland’s housing waiting list which according to Shelter Scotland, who runs SEHP, contains 150,000 families and individuals.
Kristen Hubert, SEHP national manager, said: “More than half of local authorities tell us that the introduction of a compulsory sale order would be very useful in enabling them to be more effective in bringing empty homes back into use.
“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government and other empty homes partners to ensure that empty homes continue to be part of the solution to Scotland’s housing crisis.”
The compulsory sale order power involves the ability for local authorities to force a long-term empty property or piece of land on to the open market if it has not been used in three years and shows no prospect of reuse. According to the SEHP, change of ownership has repeatedly proven the key to bringing empty properties back into use.
The SEHP report claims the power is one which councils ‘can realistically use… and would be invaluable in tackling some of the worst problem empty homes.
Scottish Government housing minister Kevin Stewart, said the government was committed to bringing forward provisions for Compulsory Sales Orders as part of the on-going programme of land reform measures.
However, he added: “More work is needed to ensure any powers brought forward are effective in tackling the impact of abandoned buildings, particularly those that blight town centres and neighbourhoods, as well as adequately protecting the rights of owners.”
