Empty properties, September 2025

Information on empty properties is collected each year from local authorities through the Scottish Government’s council tax base (CTAXBASE) data collection. Data presented is for:

• Empty Properties: properties which have been empty for more than 6 months and are liable for council tax. Of which, there are long term empty properties (empty for more than 12 months).
• Unoccupied Exemptions: the total number of dwellings exempt from Council Tax due to being unoccupied. Examples being housing awaiting demolition or a new build waiting to be occupied (please refer to the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) (Scotland) Order 1997 for more information).

In September 2024 the guidance for empty properties data collection was strengthened to ensure that councils excluded properties empty less than 6 months from their data return (in CTAXBASE 8b).  It was discovered that prior to 2025 some councils had included these in their return to the Scottish Government. Empty homes (properties empty for more than 6 months) will therefore be overstated in such instances; however, we are not able to quantify the impact of their inclusion on published statistics before 2024.

There were 44,453 properties that had been empty for more than 6 months as of September 2025. Aberdeen City (14%; 6,124) reported the highest proportion of Scotland’s empty properties and East Renfrewshire reported the lowest proportion (0%; 36).

Just under three quarters (32,337 or 73%) of empty properties were long term empty properties. Highland (12%; 3,879) reported the highest proportion of Scotland’s long term empty properties and East Renfrewshire (0%, 31) reported the lowest proportion of Scotland’s long term empty properties.

Within local authority areas, the proportion of empty properties that were long term empty properties varied. From 48% in Aberdeen City to 98% of empty properties in Highland.

Map B shows in September 2025, the highest empty homes rates were in Argyll and Bute (493), Aberdeen City (483), Na h-Eileanan Siar (442) and Shetland Islands (425), which had rates of more than 400 empty homes per 10,000 dwellings. The lowest rates were observed in 12 local authorities which each had rates of 100 empty homes or fewer per 10,000 dwellings.

Map B: Empty properties (>6 months): rates per 10,000 dwellings in September 2025

32,337 long-term empty properties (empty for more than 12 months) were subject to either a Council Tax discount or a Council Tax increase. Of these:

• 25,703 properties (79%) received either a discount of less than 10% or a Council Tax premium (i.e. a charge above 100%).
• 6,598 properties received a Council Tax discount between 10% and 50%.

As of September 2025, there were 44,989 unoccupied exemptions. This represented a 6% (-2,790) decrease from 2024.

Chart 2: The number of empty properties, long term empty properties and unoccupied exemptions, according to council tax data, 2005 to 2025  

Chart 2 illustrates the trend in empty homes that are liable for council tax and homes with unoccupied exemptions from council tax, from 2005 to 2025. Long term empty property data is presented from 2013 to 2025. There was a marked increase in the number of empty properties in 2020, which was likely to be associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic directly affected both the property rental and sales markets, with the movement restrictions in place also having a range of other impacts. The number of empty properties decreased after 2020 and has shown a fairly flat trend since 2021.

When comparing 2025 to 2005, there was an:

• • increase of 190% (29,140) in empty homes.
  • decrease of 3% (-1,541) in unoccupied exemptions.

When comparing long-term empty homes there has been an increase of 164% (20,106) since 2013.

When comparing 2025 with 2024, there has been a:

• • increase of 2% (915) in empty homes
  • increase of 2% (741) in long term empty homes (empty for over 12 months).
  • decrease of 6% (-2,790) in unoccupied exemptions.

Map C shows that in September 2025, the highest long term empty property rates were in Na h-Eileanan Siar (376) and Shetland Islands (372), Argyll and Bute (322) and Highland (309) which had rates of more than 300 long term empty properties per 10,000 dwellings.

The lowest rates were observed in 16 local authorities which each had rates of 100 long term empty properties or fewer per 10,000 dwellings.

Map C: Long term empty properties (>12 months): rates per 10,000 dwellings in September 2025