Housing Statistics 2024: Key Trends Summary
Annual statistics on housing stock by tenure to 31st March 2023, local authority housing management data (relating either to local authority social housing, home ownership, or the private rented sector), and new housing supply data up to 31st March 2024.
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Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
A house in multiple occupation (HMO) is a property that is shared by three or more people who are members of more than two families. It can also be known as a house share. HMO landlords must have a licence from the local authority. This ensures that the property is managed properly and meets certain safety standards.
The most recent figures as of 31st March 2024 show 15,274 licences in force. There has been a 1.0% decrease in licences since March 2023.
Chart 11 shows that the City of Edinburgh alone holds an estimated 41% of Scotland’s HMO licences.
Chart 11: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Stirling, and Fife accounted for 92% of all Houses in Multiple Occupation licences in force in Scotland as at 31st March 2024.
There were approximately 6,969 new and renewal applications received in 2023-24, 19% more than 2022-23. New applications made up around 22% of these, and the remainder were applications for license renewals.
Further detailed figures are available in the HMO Excel web tables