The number of long-term empty homes in England has risen for the first time since 2008 and now stands at more than 205,000 vacant properties across the country.

Figures collated by the Empty Homes charity from local authority council tax records shows that 37 of the 53 local authorities with 1.2 per cent or more of their homes long-term empty are in the North, nine are in the Midlands, and seven are in the South. Some groupings of authorities (i.e. counties and combined authorities) stand out as having 1.2 per cent or more of their homes long-term empty as a whole. They are all in the North: Cumbria, Durham, Humberside, Lancashire, Merseyside, Northumberland, Tees Valley and Tyne and Wear. While there appears to be a strong link between large numbers of empty properties in a locality and economic decline or stagnation, the report also revealed a disproportionate number of high value homes (in the most expensive council tax band) are also empty, being owned by companies, institutions and overseas investors. The council tax data does not show why homes are being left long- term empty. However, the charity says there is evidence that in some areas people are purchasing properties not to rent out or use primarily as their own home, but for reasons that include finding a safe store for their wealth, seeking a high capital gain and keeping a place for occasional use. Such purchases are characterised as ‘buy-to-leave’.

Fund purchases

They claim that the general public wants both central and local government to place a much higher priority on tackling empty homes, with a favoured option being that councils and charities should be funded to buy and repair long-term empty homes to rent or sell to people in housing need. The Empty Homes charity is encouraging all local authorities to introduce empty homes strategies for their areas, with the aspiration to reduce the number of long-term empty homes. It is also asking councils to work with owners of long-term empty properties – including landlords – to encourage, advise and support them to bring homes back into housing use. In its latest annual report it provides examples of a number of innovative projects across the UK, many of which are offering grants or interest free loans to landlords to bring empty properties back into use. Since April 2013, local authorities have been allowed to charge up to a 50 per cent premium on the council tax if a dwelling has been empty for two years or more. It is possible that this policy has had an impact on the willingness of people to tell their council that their property is empty so the actual figures could be even higher than are being reported. As of October 2017, 288 out of 326 authorities reported that they were charging the premium on 60,898 empty dwellings across England. It is not clear why the remaining 38 councils are not using this mechanism.

By Patrick Mooney, editor