Council Urges Owners Of Empty Homes To Help Housing Emergency

The owners of thousands of empty homes across Glasgow are being urged to sell or rent out their properties to help combat the city’s housing emergency, reports the Glasgow Times.

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, convener for Housing and Development at Glasgow City Council, is encouraging the owners of more than 2500 vacant properties to help the council bring the homes back into use. He confirmed letters are being sent to the owners asking them to act and setting out how the Glasgow City Council can help.

Cllr Kelly said: “The supply of new housing has not kept pace with demand for decades – with the result that we currently have around 7000 homeless applications and in excess of 4000 households living in temporary accommodation. At the same time, more than 2500 homes in the city are lying empty.

“That’s not sustainable. I’ve got an obligation – and a moral responsibility – to pursue any resource I can that might increase the supply of housing in the city. Addressing the thousands of vacant properties in Glasgow could be one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways of making a major impact.”

The council has increased its use of Compulsory Purchase Orders to bring vacant homes back into use but Cllr Kelly said that route is not his first preference. Instead, he wants owners to be supported to sell or let their properties, including providing practical assistance where homes require investment.

He continued: “I understand that there are all sorts of reasons why properties may have fallen out of use – and I want to do everything I can to support owners to create a home for someone in the city. If that means selling empty property, we can offer information on investors who are looking to buy. If the owners want to rent out homes, we can provide support for private landlords or connect owners with charities that are expert in letting property to alleviate homelessness.

He added: “Where a home requires repairs or renovation to get it ready for rental, there are merchants’ discounts and VAT discounts that owners can take advantage of – and council officers can help them navigate that.”