The number of private empty homes brought back into use in Scotland last year has an estimated market value of around £93 million, according to the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP).

Run by housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government, the SEHP supported local authority empty homes officers to bring the 558 empty homes back into use in the last 12 months - double the figure of 278 from the previous year.

With the average cost of bringing an empty property back into use standing at £15,500 and the average cost of a new build home in Scotland being £100,000, the SEHP says that empty homes work makes good financial sense both for the owners and local authorities.

The SEHP says bringing empty homes back into use is helping to regenerate local communities and make neighbourhoods safer while adding to Scotland’s housing stock and generating council tax revenues for local authorities.

The news comes following the publication of the SEHP’s 2014-15 annual report.

Since its launch in 2010, the partnership has helped to restore almost 1,000 empty properties across Scotland into homes again, either for sale, rent (some at affordable rates) or owner occupation. Working with the network of empty homes officers in over half of Scotland’s local authorities, the partnership says there is still more work to be done to bring more of Scotland’s 27,000 long-term private empty homes back into use.

Official statistics show that there are 150,500 families and individuals in Scotland on council house waiting lists and over 35,000 households made homelessness applications in the last year.

Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “Bringing Scotland’s empty homes back into use represents great value for money but it also provides homes to families and individuals who would otherwise struggle to afford a home of their own, or would be forced into expensive private rents.

“Not only has the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership helped 558 families and individuals realise their dream of a home, empty homes work across Scotland has assisted the owners of these properties to make the most of their assets, while regenerating local communities and neighbourhoods.”

Scottish Government communities minister, Marco Biagi MSP, said: “We want communities across Scotland to thrive and meet the needs of residents, businesses and visitors. Bringing empty homes back into use is an important part of this vision and it’s vital to make the best possible use of these properties.

“Our support for the Partnership, our work to encourage empty homes back into use and our recent announcement of a new £4 million Town Centre Empty Homes Fund shows the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to making best use of our housing stock.

“I’m delighted to see the Empty Homes Partnership is helping to achieve this across Scotland, creating stronger communities.”

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership Annual Report makes a number of recommendations for continuing the success of empty homes work in Scotland including:

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