THE HEAD of a major housing charity in Scotland is calling on the government to introduce an Asbo-style order on those who leave homes empty for six months or more.

At a conference tomorrow in Edinburgh, Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, will put forward a wish list of what he would like to see included in a new housing bill.

Earlier this year, deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon signalled the government's intention to scrap right-to-buy options for new council tenants and on newly built affordable housing. This led to a new draft housing bill being issued for consultation with a view to pass legislation by September 2009.

Ahead of tomorrow's conference, where major players in the housing sector will join to discuss the proposed bill, Brown told the Sunday Herald he would call for radical new powers to deal with the 87,000 empty homes in Scotland, and greater protection for private tenants and home-owners.

Brown said he'd like to see a new Asbo-style order issued to those who leave homes empty: "We need new measures to act as incentives to encourage people not to leave houses unoccupied. In England they have a power where they can take action against people in the form of an Empty Dwellings Management Order Edmos."

Edmos allow councils in England and Wales to take control of a private property for up to seven years if it has been empty for at least six months.

He said this would be a "useful addition" to powers that would be particularly helpful to rural communities with low housing stock. However, Edmos were criticised after just 11 orders were issued between June 2006 and March 2008.

Brown went on to say: "There has been virtually no reform of the private rented sector for the best part of 30 years, and it has grown by around 3% in the past five years alone. With that we're suggesting that the private rented sector could fulfil a reasonable role here in providing some form of assured tenancy beyond six months.

"If you are a young family with children at school you can find yourselves suddenly uprooted after six months."

Brown hopes the Scottish government will replicate a model of legislation by the Republic of Ireland which gives landlords an incentive, such as tax breaks, to offer a six-month probationary period followed by a three-year tenancy.

A Scottish government spokesman said the main thrust of the proposed legislation would be to safeguard Scotland's stock of social housing for future generations, and to ensure that stock is value for tenants and taxpayers.

He said: "We expect to consult on the draft bill in spring 2009 with a view to introducing the bill to parliament towards the end of 2009-10."