With only four weeks to go, The Empty Homes Network are excited to announce our Exhibitor+ Sponsors for this year's National Conference, to be held on Wednesday 21st May in Birmingham.
Having supported the Network and our events for a number of years, Estate Research, No Use Empty: Kent, Finders International, Grafton Empty Homes and NPLaw all return join us for 2025, and all will be on hand throughout the day to answer any questions you have and demonstrate how their teams can support you in the work you do.
We are also excited to welcome two new Exhibitor+ sponsors this year, in YouSpotProperty and Probate.Auction, and look forward to welcoming them on the day in Birmingham!
The Empty Homes Network is extremely proud to have partnered with these seven fantastic organisations for this year’s event, and would strongly recommend exploring how they can help your empty homes service, and support the work you do in offering options to owners in your respective areas. We thank them for their continued support of the Empty Homes Network, and look forward to working with all of our sponsors and supporters through 2025!
YouSpotProperty
YouSpotProperty.com, established in 2013 by Nicholas Kalms and Benjamin Radstone, is dedicated to revitalizing vacant and neglected properties across the UK. With over four decades of combined experience in the property sector, Nick and Ben have developed a unique platform that empowers the public to participate in identifying and restoring empty homes.
The company’s innovative approach allows individuals to report derelict properties through their website. Upon verification, spotters receive a £20 voucher as a token of appreciation. If YouSpotProperty.com successfully purchases and renovates the reported property, the spotter is further rewarded with 1% of the property’s purchase price. This initiative not only incentivizes community involvement but also addresses the broader issue of housing shortages by bringing unused properties back into circulation.
The process is straightforward: many properties become vacant due to various reasons, such as owners moving into care, relocating, or inheriting homes they’re unsure how to manage. YouSpotProperty.com specializes in locating these owners and facilitating the sale, ensuring the properties are restored and reintroduced to the housing market. This effort not only enhances neighbourhoods but also reduces potential anti-social activities associated with abandoned buildings.
Beyond property restoration, YouSpotProperty.com is committed to community enrichment. For every property they help return to use, the company makes a donation to a local charity, further solidifying their dedication to positive social impact.
Through their collaborative model, YouSpotProperty.com exemplifies how businesses can effectively partner with communities to tackle housing challenges, making them a valuable contributor to the discourse at the 2025 Empty Homes Network Conference.
Estate Research
Estate Research are a firm of genealogists established in 2001, who have built a reputation assisting the public sector. With offices based in Wigan and London, employing over 80 members of staff, the company has evolved significantly over the years, meaning they provide a range of services. In recognition to the ongoing issues faced by local authorities dealing with long term empty properties, Estate Research are continuously developing their Empty Property Solutions services. Their specialist tracing skills can assist with identifying and tracing missing property owners, as well as assisting with properties whereby the property owner has passed away. The website offers a range of information on enforcement and advice on how to deal with delays once probate has been granted; www.estateresearchemptyproperties.co.uk.
Their reputation has been built on high levels of professionalism and a robust policy of complete transparency alongside offering simple solutions to help bring empty properties back into public use. The vast majority of these services are completely free to local authorities and guaranteed by a commitment to achieving a resolution beneficial to all parties involved. For more information contact [email protected].
Probate.Auction
The founders of Probate.Auction and Resi.Auction have been at the forefront of the UK property auction market collectively for over 60 years, having been involved in running some of the largest property auctioneers in the country while also operating successful property-related businesses.
Probate.Auction is the UK’s largest auctioneer dedicated solely to the sale of probate properties, with Resi.Auction focused on selling non-probate properties. Our team has developed a deep understanding of the auction process and is transforming how estates and vendors achieve fast, efficient sales while securing top market prices and providing a seamless journey for our clients.
Recognising a real need in the probate sector and the wider property market, we created a bespoke service tailored to the needs of executors, beneficiaries, professional advisors and vendors.
Our streamlined auction process avoids the lengthy delays and uncertainties of traditional estate agent sales, achieving results in as little as nine weeks from instruction to completion. Our clients benefit from full transparency, with all legal documents openly available, ensuring the integrity of every transaction and maximising the value of the property. Properties requiring modernisation or with complexities such as structural issues or short leases often achieve better prices at auction than through conventional sales methods.
If you’d like to speak with us about a potential probate auction property, please do give us a call on 020 7381 1345 or drop us an email at [email protected]
No Use Empty: Kent
Delivered in partnership with all 12 district councils No Use Empty (NUE) remains committed to reducing the numbers of long-term empty properties, returning an average of 480 per year back into use. Planning, dedicated resources, monitoring outcomes, adjusting delivery models to reflect urrent market conditions, and above all continuity are the ingredients to their success.
The NUE initiative introduced by Kent County Council in 2005 provides a best practice example of how successful a national loan fund could be. Starting with an initial £5m investment, the scheme has administered more than £100m in recyclable loans returning 8,607 empty properties back into use via a variety of interventions. This includes short term secured interest free loans for first-time users. Once repaid the loans are recycled to fund new projects. For those who seek further loans, NUE offer interest bearing loans, which helps make NUE cost neutral.
In addition to this and continued demand from local developers NUE also provides short-term finance to bring derelict sites (with planning) forward to create new build homes. Some of our projects on completion are acquired by our districts to meet their housing needs. We have also delivered empty shops with residentail above back into use. All of which further supports the Kent economy as well as allowing us to regenerate local communities. Stratgeic Programme Manager, Steve Grimshaw said: ”I cannot believe NUE is 20 years strong. We are very proud to be sponsoring the annual Empty Homes Conference for a 12th consecutive year”.
Finders International
Finders International are award-winning probate genealogists. We trace missing heirs to property estates, funds and assets worldwide and offer this service FREE of charge to Empty Homes Officers. We have experience in swiftly locating and engaging with owners of vacant or derelict property and can assist in resolving disputes. Whether the owner is living or deceased, we aim to provide prompt solutions every time.
A full list and further details of our public-sector services can be found here.
At Grafton, we believe in looking after everyone that is part of the chain. From your housing officer to your hard-to-trace owner, we will treat everyone with the same care and respect. With great customer service and an ethical approach, everyone’s experience is transformed. We will ensure that you are dealt with transparently every step of the way, enabling you to make the right decisions for your community and all of those involved. We understand how complex and challenging empty homes are; we will always look for the solution that helps you unlock your hardest cases. We are part of the Grafton Family of Companies, which encompasses Empty Home services and solutions, asset tracing, missing beneficiaries research, genealogy and more.
Our clients include several local councils, public sector organisations and private individuals. Contact us today on 020 8875 1230 for a no obligations conversation with one of our experts.
np law
nplaw is a public sector shared legal service with a wealth of experience gained through many years of advising our clients in local government, the public sector and charities. Our public service ethos sets us apart from private legal practices but we are run and approach our work in the same commercial manner, working hard to offer excellent value for money whilst at the same time delivering a high quality, efficient legal service. Our lawyers are themselves council employees and understand the context in which you operate: particularly council decision-making processes, the vulnerabilities of the people you work with and the importance of communities.
We know that empty properties can have a serious impact on local communities and we can support you in choosing the best legal option to deal with the problem whether that is by way of compulsory purchase or an enforced sale.
If you would like to talk to us about legal solutions for empty homes, please email our dedicated inbox at [email protected].
Our costs are very competitive and we offer fixed fee rates that help you to plan your budget or hourly rates.
The full line up of speakers, sessions and their content can be viewed on our dedicated Conference page here.
We are also delighted to be able to offer 1-2-1 surgery sessions on your CPO, Enforced Sale and succession and dispute cases, where you will be able to discuss your case specifics with legal experts in conjunction with our partners at NPLaw, Bevan Brittan LLP and Taylor Emmet.
Delegate Rates
With delegate prices starting from £95 for not-for-profit and charitable organisations, our Corporate Delegate Rate (£150) includes refreshments, a two-course hot buffet lunch, and the opportunity to network with like-minded colleagues working in the field of empty homes. Our Corporate Members also benefit from our discounted delegate rate (£105) for any additional delegate places booked.
As a subscriber member of the Empty Homes Network, it has never been easier to upgrade your membership level and take advantage of our fantastic delegate rates, as well as increasing your access to all of our information resources online.
Booking Form
Our booking form can be found on our dedicated Conference webpage here, and bookings are now being taken. All you need to do to secure your place at the event, is complete the booking form with all of the required information, and send to [email protected]
