Scottish councils are being urged to do more to bring empty homes back into use.

According to the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP), more vacant properties than ever before are coming back onto the market. However, 97% of those are in local authority areas with a dedicated Empty Homes Officer (EHO).

In it's annual 2016/17 report, the SEHP revealed 859 long-term privately-owned empty properties were brought back into use, with only 28 in areas that do not have a dedicated EHO. A further four were supported back into use by the Scottish Empty Homes Advice Service.

With 34,000 long-term empty homes across the country, Head of Communications and Policy at Shelter Scotland Adam Lang said putting resources into tackling long-term privately-owned empty homes is an "effective way of increasing available housing".

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"It's fantastic to see more than 800 homes brought back into use in one year," he said.

"That's 800 more homes that are badly needed in a country struggling to build enough to meet demand.

"The councils that are not investing in this area of work are missing out on the money new residents bring into the local economy, they're missing out on council tax revenue and they're missing out on an opportunity to act on neighbourhood priorities where empty properties are attracting anti-social behaviour."

Kevin Stewart MSP, Housing Minister, said: "The work of the dedicated Empty Homes Officers has proven invaluable in everything SHEP has achieved. Clearly there is still some way to go to ensure every area benefits, and local authorities across the country should be capitalising on the opportunities they provide. That partnership working can help realise our ambitions of an empty homes service in every area and bringing back as many of our long-term empty homes as we can."

However, a recent YouGov poll found only 20% of people in Scotland think that councils are doing enough to reduce the number of long-term empty homes in their area.

Mr Lang added: "These results send a clear message to councils that people are not happy with the action currently being taken on empty homes.

"There is a great deal of support among the public for councils to view this issue as a priority."

(LM/MH)