Thousands of empty houses have cost Angus Council more than £4 million in rent in the past five years.
And just weeks after councillors agreed to declare a local housing emergency we can reveal the number of annual ‘voids’ has peaked close to 1,000 twice since 2020.
The freedom of information data has been branded “staggering”.
Brechin Independent councillor Jill Scott – who led calls for an area emergency – said it highlighted the housing crisis Angus is facing.
And she said game-playing must be ditched to put the focus on bringing houses up to standard and people out of homelessness.
What does Angus Council house voids data reveal?
Angus Council owns more than 7,500 homes. Those generate an annual rental income close to £30m.
But there has been growing concern in number of empty council houses and the time they sit empty.
In 2019/20 the figure hit 983. That equated to £617k in lost rental income.
But the following year, 770 voids cost the council £1.2m.
And the authority suffered another seven-figure loss the following year as a result of 915 voids.
The average time properties sat without a tenant has varied between 85 and 142 days.
Housing emergency u-turn
Councillor Scott called for a housing emergency declaration after seeing £9m cut from the authority’s investment plan.
Storm Babet last October has left 60 council homes in her ward still empty and facing an uncertain long-term future.
The council’s SNP ruling group initially rejected her housing emergency motion in May.
Days later the Scottish Government declared a national emergency during a Holyrood debate.
And when the issue returned to the full Angus Council it was agreed.
‘We need to work together’
Ms Scott said: “The fact that over £4m in rental income has been lost is staggering.
“Many members of the public and those waiting on houses have been questioning why council properties are sitting without tenants for so long.
“I – and every other councillor – regularly receive queries and complaints from people waiting on housing or currently homeless.
“And most of them mention there are properties sitting un-let.”
Ms Scott added: “These figures show Angus needed to declare a housing emergency.
“The delays during Covid-19 are understandable. However it is now long overdue that the delays on void properties are resolved.
“Twice the administration seemed intent on playing politics with the housing emergency motion.
“That was never my intention, or to get involved in any sort of blame game.
“It was to work collaboratively with all councillors for the good of Angus residents.
“There are major housing issues in Angus, I think we all recognise that.
“What we need to do is work together to get them sorted.
“These figures show it is a huge task. But it is crucial we all buckle down and get on with it, for the council and the people we represent.”
What action is planned to tackle voids?
As part of the authority’s efforts to deal with housing issues, a special member/officer group is being set up.
Housing spokesperson Kenny Braes hopes it will lead to a dedicated housing committee being formed soon.
He has promised a “thorough and wide-ranging” review of all areas of housing.
And that will include tackling the problem of voids.
“A new standalone housing committee will provide purpose, focus and scrutiny of what we’re doing in this declared housing emergency,” he said.
“Housing and the economic development that goes with it are a top priority for the administration group.
“We will find the resource required to make this work.”
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