Empty homes revamped under an initiative intended to ease pressure on housing stocks are instead being rented out to tourists.
Council chiefs in the Western Isles said the “intention of the majority of owners is to enter the short-term lets and Airbnb market”.
It comes amid ongoing concerns over the impact of short-term lets. Last week, SNP ministers announced plans to bring in a licensing scheme and hand councils the power to introduce control areas.
The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP), run by Shelter and funded by the Scottish Government, has brought 4,340 homes back into use
since 2010.
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Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, formerly Western Isles Council, appointed an empty homes officer in April 2018 and since then at least 61 properties have been revamped.
However, a report has highlighted the “significant impact” on the housing stock of owners then renting the properties out to tourists.
It said: “Of the empty homes refurbished or in the process of being refurbished, the intention of the majority of owners is to enter the short-term lets and Airbnb market.
“The Comhairle has little control over the use to which owners put their properties and whilst the sustainable growth of tourism is a long-standing objective of the Comhairle and its community planning partners, the redeployment of these often family-sized properties has a significant impact on the amount of homes which are being made available for long-term private sector rent throughout the islands.”
A council spokesman said it did not provide any funding support for owners, but rather “practical advice”.
He said: “Once a property is brought back into use, we don’t really have any say or control on what the owner uses the property for. We do know that several owners have said that they are keen using their property for holiday lets.
“A number of councils do provide grant or loan support for empty homes, but these are all on the condition that the property can only be used for private rent (and not for holiday accommodation). This would be the Comhairle’s preference too.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Empty homes and derelict buildings can be a blight on communities which is why we invest £400,000 each year to support the SEHP.
“This scheme, run by housing charity Shelter, provides a national advice and information service and supports the introduction of dedicated empty homes officers. It is better for homes to be in use than lying derelict.”
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