Communities and Local Government
A selection of images representing communities.
Direct contact 020 7944 4400- contactus@communities.gov.uk
- Housing
- Social housing management
- Empty homes
- Our policy on empty homes
Our policy on empty homes
Introduction
Property may become empty for many different reasons. In most cases this is a short term issue, for example, following purchase where a property needs to be renovated before it can be occupied, or where it is in probate. Such transactions are a natural function of the housing market in England. Transactional properties are actively marketed or are being prepared for occupation. More than half of homes that are empty at any given time are transactional.
Nevertheless, a significant proportion of homes that become empty remain so for long periods of time. This is usually because there is a fundamental problem preventing their occupation. Problematic properties are not actively marketed or being prepared for occupation. This may be due to the condition of the property which means occupation is not possible until the problem has been addressed.
In England there are about 680,000 empty homes. The vast majority of these are privately owned - over half a million. More than half of these remain empty for longer than six months and a significant proportion are abandoned for years. Empty homes can quickly fall into disrepair and the longer they remain empty the more likely it is that they will become derelict and prohibitively expensive to bring back into use.
Long-term problematic empty homes are a major cause for concern. They represent waste, financial expense and missed opportunities. They can blight communities, attract vandals and squatters and tie up the resources of local authorities and the emergency services. Bringing more long-term empty homes back into use is a sustainable way to meet housing demand and helps to reduce the need to build new houses.
What is Communities and Local Government's policy on Empty Homes?
As the government department responsible for shaping housing policy in England, how the existing housing stock is used falls squarely within Communities and Local Government's remit. It is important to maximise use of the existing housing stock so that we can minimise the number of new homes that need to be built each year, particularly in areas of the country where housing demand is high, such as the south east of England. Empty homes not only restrict housing supply, they also detract from the quality of the local environment and can cause significant problems for local residents. Poorly maintained empty homes attract vermin, cause damp and other problems for neighbouring properties and are magnets for vandals, squatters, drug dealers and arsonists. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors estimates that properties adjoining poorly maintained empty homes can be devalued by 18 per cent.
Eight out of ten empty homes are privately owned. The Government, working with the Empty Homes Agency an independent campaigning organisation - encourages local authorities not only to deal with their own empty properties but also to adopte measures to bring privately owned empty homes back into use as part of their strategic housing approach. Local authorities are increasingly engaging with owners to find solutions. This can take the form of offering incentives such as renovation grants or loans or advice on selling, leasing and tax issues.
This approach is dependent on good will and co-operation from owners and where this is achieved can be highly effective. However, local authorities may also resort to enforcement action where it has not proved possible to achieve re-occupation of empty homes through voluntary means. Local authorities have for many years been able to call upon statutory last resort powers to require the sale or renovation of empty homes. The most commonly known powers are compulsory purchase and enforced sale. More recently, the Government has introduced an alternative last resort power - Empty Dwelling Management Orders. More information and resources for practitioners are available in the Publications about empty homes.
Home Information Packs
We have introduced Home Information Packs to improve the process of buying and selling.
