Scottish Government

HSG/2002/3: Housing Trends in Scotland:
Quarters Ending 31 December 2001 and 31 March 2002

Introduction

2. This bulletin presents standard quarterly analyses of housing activity in Scotland from October 2001 to March 2002. It includes information on public sector house sales, new housebuilding, and local authority lettings and evictions. It also contains annual information on public sector stock and vacancy rates, special needs housing, changes to local authority housing lists, Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), and private sector improvements grants. This bulletin does not contain information on homelessness, which will be published separately in the Autumn. The main points to emerge from the bulletin are as follows:
4. Sales of Public Authority Dwellings:. A total of 7,369 public authority dwellings were sold to sitting tenants in the period October 2001 to March 2002, an increase of 478 (7%) on the same period in 2000/2001.
6. Public Sector Stock: There were 530,631 public sector dwellings at 31 March 2002, of which 20,746 were vacant.
8. Lettings and Evictions: Local Authorities reported that 13,660 and 12,771 permanent lettings were made of local authority dwellings during the quarters October-December 2001 and January-March 2002 respectively, 325 (1%) less in total than during the previous six months. There were 299 and 301 evictions of local authority tenants respectively during these quarters, 47 (7%) less in total than during the previous 6 months.
10. Houses in Multiple Occupation: In the year ending 31 March 2002, just over 1,500 applications received in respect of the mandatory licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation. As at 31 March 2002 there were 710 Licences in force.
12. Housing for the Elderly and Disabled: Local Authorities provided 18,824 'sheltered' and 273 'very sheltered' dwellings for the elderly at 31 March 2002, roughly 326 less 'sheltered' and 57 more 'very sheltered' dwellings than at 31 March 2001.