Between last April and this March 18,028 new homes were added to Scotland\u2019s housing stock – 8% fewer than the previous year and the lowest since 2014-15 – excluding the pandemic period.<\/p>\n
The latest official statistics showed that at the end of March last year,\u00a0Scotland had an estimated 2.75 million homes. Most (60%) were owner-occupied, with around 23% social rented, 13% private rented or occupied rent-free and the remaining 4% being vacant properties or second homes.<\/p>\n
Almost half (47%) of owner-occupied households had a highest-income aged 60 or over, compared with 12% in the private rented sector and 37% in the social rented sector.<\/p>\n
Private rented households were more ethnically diverse. Around 11% of adults in private rented households were from a minority ethnic group, compared with 2% of adults in owner-occupied households, and 5% in social housing.<\/p>\n
The data also revealed that around 12% of private rented households say they may have to move because of housing costs, compared to 3% in the owner-occupied sector and 5% of social rented households.<\/p>\n
Local authorities managed around 329,788 homes as of March 2026, accounting for 52% of Scotland’s social housing stock.<\/p>\n
There were 10,253 vacant council homes at that stage – an increase of 4% compared to the previous year – including stock that will be demolished or cannot be currently let as it needs modernisation.<\/p>\n
Almost half (49%) of vacant homes were normal lettings stock. These are typically homes that become empty between tenancies and are being prepared for new occupants; 69% of these homes were vacant for less than six months. Other vacant properties included 23% undergoing modernisation, 16% awaiting demolition, 7% temporary accommodation for homeless households and 4% located in low demand areas.<\/p>\n
Local authorities made 22,843 permanent lettings during 2025-26, down 14% on the previous year. Half (51%) of these were made to homeless households, 25% went to applicants on waiting lists and 22% to existing tenants transferring homes.<\/p>\n
Compared with the previous year, waiting list numbers in 2025-26 increased in nine of the 26 local authorities that own housing stock, decreased in 14, and remained relatively stable in three.<\/p>\n
Local authorities issued 16,104 notices to begin eviction proceedings in 2025-26 – a similar level to the previous year and 34% lower than before Covid-19. There were 646 completed evictions or tenant abandonments in 2025-26, of which 94% were linked to rent arrears. This is 4% lower than 2024-25 and 44% lower than before the pandemic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Council house waiting list numbers in 2025-26 increased in nine of the 26 local authorities that own housing stock<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":278857,"featured_media":8112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[120821,9],"coauthors":[137126],"class_list":["post-8548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-construction","category-property","tag-featured-story","tag-scotland"],"yoast_head":"\n