Housing Options Guide 4b
4b. Empty homes
Moray Empty Homes Service
According to the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, there are around 43,000 long-term empty properties in Scotland. In Moray this figure was estimated to be just less than 1000 in 2024. This represents 2.06% of the total supply in Moray which is higher than the Scottish average of 1.8%.
When a home becomes empty it can very quickly begin to lose value and can become a target of Anti-Social Behaviour or crime. Not to mention the impact that an unkempt property can have on neighbours wellbeing and the general sense of community. It is also a poor use of a home at a time when more and more people are in need.
It is important to remember that even if you are not living in a property you will still be responsible for maintenance and upkeep, including taking steps to maintain security and safety. For more information on how to keep your empty home safe and secure check out our short guide.
The Empty Homes Service looks to provide support and guidance for owners and the wider community about how to bring homes back into use. This can be through advice and signposting, providing information on schemes and approaches that can help reduce costs associated with bringing homes back into use and many other methods.
Our aim is to try and reduce the amount of long-term empty properties in the private sector in Moray by ensuring that people have all the information they need to make this happen.
Owners
Empty homes can cause a lot of stress and heartache for their owners who will often find themselves unable to occupy even if they wanted to. Costs relating to works and availability of trades can seem overwhelming. There are number of different ways to try and assist in this to identify ways to reduce costs and make it easier to bring homes back into use.
Council Tax Levy
Since April 2014 Moray Council has levied additional Council Tax payments on properties that have been unoccupied for over 12 months. This levy is currently set at 100% of Council Tax. There are certain circumstances under which exemptions from this can be applied. For example, if the property is being advertised for sale or rent there is a relief period for a defined period of time. For more information on the levy and options for relief check out the Council Tax Levy page.
VAT Discounted Rates
Where a property has been empty for more than 2 years there are options available for accessing reduced levels of VAT on goods and services through contractors. This can see the amount paid go from 20% (standard rate) to 5% (reduced rate). The Empty Homes Service can assist with gathering the necessary information to assist with this. To see if you may be eligible check the following guide.
Trusted Trader Scheme
If you have not undertaken a scheme of this nature before or are wary after hearing stories of “rogue traders”, the thought of trying to find someone that can undertake work can be daunting. This is one of the reasons that Moray Council has a ‘Trusted Trader Scheme’. This scheme allows local traders who meet a number of strict requirements to register for work via the scheme's webpage. These businesses have been thoroughly vetted and checked by Trading Standards officers and it is believed that they uphold values of best practice and fairness in their respective disciplines. If this is something that may interest you then you can access their database via the Trusted Traders Scheme website.
Merchant Discount Scheme
The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) has identified a number of organisations who are able to offer additional discounts to those looking to do works on empty properties. So even if there is no immediate option regarding VAT it might still be possible to save some money. Information on the scheme and how to access it is available at the Merchant Discount Scheme website.
(Please note that this is a national scheme administered by SEHP not Moray Council. The list does not constitute an endorsement or support for any individual business. List is accurate as of time of upload)
Energy Efficiency
For some the cost of heating and powering homes is becoming increasingly unaffordable and a desire to avoid excessive costs can be a reason for failure to sell, or for not meeting requirements for rent. The thought of changing or replacing existing systems can be daunting however more modern systems can be more efficient and reliable in the longer term.
There are a number of options available for replacing or upgrading systems and many of them are outlined in our fact sheet on Energy Efficiency Funding.
Mortgage Arrears/Repossession
Where you are struggling to meet financial commitments and your home is at risk there are still a number of options available and you do have a number of rights. Please refer to our guidance on Mortgage Arrears and Repossession for further information.
Selling Your Home
Even in a healthy market, and after works being undertaken it can sometimes be difficult to find a buyer for your home. There are many different options and approaches to consider. In this section we set out some of the ways that can help you ensure maximum exposure for your property and some approaches that you may not have considered.
Estate Agents
Often the traditional platform for selling homes, estate agents come in many different forms and sizes with both local and national businesses working in the area. We have produced a short guidance sheet with some tips about how you can identify the best fit for you to ensure that you get the best service and maximum return for your sale. This information is not intended to replace your own research or offer an exhaustive guide to local market conditions. You can access this information in our Estate Agents and Selling Tips Guide.
Open Market Purchase Scheme
Moray Council operates an Open Market Purchase Scheme; this means that in certain circumstances we may be able to buy properties that are on the market. There are a number of conditions that would need to be met before this is considered but full information on the Open Market Purchase scheme and how to apply can be found here.
Contact us
If you are living in a community or know of an area where you suspect there is an empty home please get in touch with us at emptyhomes@moray.gov.uk . We can provide advice and guidance about what can, and cannot be done, and can help to make enquiries with the relevant agencies.
The Moray Empty Homes service is delivered via partnership between Moray Council, Aberdeenshire Council, and the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership.