The number of homes lying empty in Aberdeen has almost tripled in the last four years.
At the most recent count, there were 1,919 properties in the city which had been vacant for at least 12 months.
New information obtained by The Press and Journal has shown that more than half of these are in the A or B council tax bands.
Meanwhile, the highest three bands – F, G and H – make up just 9% of the total.
The new figures have revealed a 170% increase on the number of empty properties in Aberdeen in 2015.
The most common reason for a home to be left vacant long-term is the death of its owner, but housing charity Shelter Scotland has said the long-lasting impact of the oil price drop on the north-east will also have played a factor.
Since 2010, the organisation has helped bring around 40,000 houses back into use under the Scottish Government-funded Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP).
Last year it began working with Aberdeen City Council on a new project to match tenants with some of these properties.
The local authority’s housing spokeswoman Sandra Macdonald said: “Although the number of empty homes in the city continues to rise, this service, launched in early 2019 as part of a wider partnership, has provided advice and support to private owners to allow empty homes to be put to good use once again.
“The work of our empty homes officer in linking owners of suitable empty properties with suitable tenants has been very well received.
“There is also a need to build new homes and the council is doing that across the city.
“At the same time using empty homes to help meet housing supply and improve neighbourhoods has made a real difference.”
SEHP national manager Shaheena Din said: “Research has shown that homes become empty due to life circumstances such as the death of an owner, but often remain empty due to the local economic features in an area.
“Aberdeen has seen a sharp economic downturn affect the number of empty homes in the city but its response to it has been exemplary.
“With part-funding and support from the SEHP, the council has launched an empty homes service which provides support to owners to help them bring homes back into use.
“The council has engaged with partners across the city to see how bringing homes back into use can help to meet affordable housing supply challenges.
“This isn’t an issue which will be turned around overnight but Aberdeen City Council’s strategic approach will make a difference.”
Jackie Dunbar, housing spokeswoman for the council’s SNP group, said: “It doesn’t matter who these properties are owned by, it is scandalous that the number of empty homes has tripled given the number of people on housing waiting lists.”
