Local Authority Evictions

In 2023-24, there were 16,640 notices of eviction proceedings issued by local authorities and 561 cases resulting in evictions or dwellings abandoned. There was an increase of 10.2% in the number of notices of eviction proceedings issued compared with 2022-23 but remains lower (32.2%) than levels before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019-20. There was an increase of 115.8% in the number of evictions or dwellings abandoned following an eviction order since 2022-23 – however evictions and abandonment levels remain 51.3% lower than levels before the pandemic.

The diagram below (Figure A) illustrates the numbers of court actions taken against local authority tenants in 2023-24. The number of court orders granted is usually higher than the number of tenancies terminated due to the proportion of cases where a way to resolve the rent arrears and avoid eviction is found prior to enforcement of the court order.

Figure A: Of the 561 tenancy terminations in 2023-24, 91% (512) were due to rent arrears – an increased proportion compared to 2022-23 (85%).

Chart 9 illustrates trends over time in the number of notices of eviction proceedings. Key aspects to consider are:

• Pre-action requirements, effective since 1 August 2012, aim to better protect tenants facing eviction due to rent arrears. Social landlords must try all options to resolve arrears with tenants before pursuing eviction. These changes mainly impact the early stages of eviction proceedings (notice of proceedings issued) rather than the later stages.
• In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on 7 April 2020 eviction notice periods were extended to 6 months for most cases. An eviction ban was then in place from 11 December 2020, until 31 March 2021. During this time, only exceptional circumstances, like serious anti-social or criminal behaviour, allowed enforcement of eviction orders. Consequently, there was a drop in evictions as well as abandoned dwellings.
• Since the pandemic restrictions were lifted the number of notices of eviction proceedings, and subsequent stages (actions initiated, court orders granted, and dwellings evicted or abandoned) have increased but have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
• The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) Scotland Act came into force in October 2022. The Act put in place a temporary moratorium on evictions (a pause on the enforcement of an eviction order or decree), with exceptions in a limited number of circumstances where there are substantial rent arrears

Chart 9: The COVID-19 eviction restrictions in 2020-21 resulted in a fall of notice of proceedings issued. Since restrictions were lifted numbers have been rising but have not reached pre-pandemic levels.

Further detailed figures are available in the local authority evictions Excel web tables.