Housing Data for Orkney.
The Local Authority housing stock in Orkney totals 1,033 homes. The number vacant was 36 (3.5%), this could be for a number of reasons, including refurbishment and repairs.
Table for All New Builds Completions – Orkney
| Year | All Builds | Private | Local Authority | Housing Association |
| 2024 | 70 | 48 | 14 | 8 |
| 2023 | 102 | 74 | – | 28 |
| 2022 | 82 | 48 | 8 | 26 |
| 2021 | 96 | 60 | 36 | – |
| 2020 | 77 | 69 | – | 8 |
| 2019 | 60 | 60 | – | – |
Reference Housebuilding and affordable home statistics in the year to end of September 2025
Second and Empty Properties, Orkney
| Year | Second Homes | Empty Properties 6 months+ | Long Term Empty 12 months+ | Long Term Empty Discount | Unoccupied Exemptions |
| 2025 | 427 | 325 | 233 | 233 | 402 |
| 2024 | 444 | 344 | 230 | 230 | 403 |
| 2023 | 474 | 252 | 201 | 201 | 399 |
| 2022 | 563 | 211 | 153 | 153 | 427 |
| 2021 | 426 | 188 | 127 | 127 | 458 |
| 2020 | 487 | 200 | 137 | 137 | 440 |
| 2019 | 395 | 287 | – | – | 414 |
Housing Data for Scotland
In Scotland as a whole 3.0% of the total local authority stock was vacant, however this includes stock that will be demolished or cannot be currently let as it needs modernisation.
Local authority housing stock by use and number of vacant units, March 2025, Scotland
| Status | Housing stock | Vacant stock | Vacant stock rate | % total vacant stock in March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awaiting demolition | 1,829 | 1,819 | 99.5% | 18.5% |
| Low demand area | 15,989 | 431 | 2.7% | 4.4% |
| Used as temporary accommodation for the homeless | 8,271 | 765 | 9.2% | 7.8% |
| Part of a modernisation programme | 1,775 | 1,669 | 95.7% | 17.3% |
| Normal letting stock | 299,830 | 5,102 | 1.7% | 51.9% |
| Total stock | 327,726 | 9,827 | 3.0% | 100% |
Reference: Local authority total and vacant housing stock, Scotland, March 2025
In Scotland there were 18,347 homes built (completed) and 14,846 new builds started in the year to the end of September 2025. Completions (-1,498; -8%) and starts (-738; -5%) were lower than the previous year.
Affordable homes funded by the Scottish Governments Affordable Housing Supply Programme accounted for 6,582 completions. There were 5,222 approvals, and 5,494 starts as at September 2025. These figures include affordable homes for social rent, affordable rent, and affordable home ownership. They also include off the shelf purchases and rehabilitations as well as new builds.
Affordable housing supply approvals were 55% lower than the most recent peak in approvals in the year to the end of September 2019. Starts were the lowest since the year to the end of September 2013 and completions were the lowest since the year to the end of September 2014.
Data was also published on Second and Empty Homes in Scotland.
Second homes: rates per 10,000 dwellings in September 2025
Empty properties September 2025
- Empty Properties: properties which have been empty for more than 6 months and are liable for council tax. Of which, there are long term empty properties (empty for more than 12 months).
- Unoccupied Exemptions: the total number of dwellings exempt from Council Tax due to being unoccupied. Examples being housing awaiting demolition or a new build waiting to be occupied
In Scotland there were 20,927 second homes.
44,453 properties liable for Council Tax that had been empty for more than 6 months. Of which, 73% (32,337) were categorised as long-term empty homes (i.e. empty for over 12 months).
An additional 44,989 properties with unoccupied exemptions from Council Tax.
Reference Empty and Second Homes in September 2025
Fiona Grahame
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