In this study, a vacant social housing unit is defined as a self-contained dwelling owned by an independent housing association in which different residents were registered on 1 January of a given year and on 31 December of the same year. Social housing can become vacant due to the relocation or death of the previous occupant(s) or as a result of new build and the conversion of buildings for residential purposes. Social housing units that were occupied by new residents but one or more residents continued to live in the same unit were not included. This can happen when, for example, somebody decides to moves in with their partner. Non-self-contained dwellings, including social housing units in which multiple households reside, were also excluded.
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