Empty Homes Network

Can you help production company Two Four source interesting empty homes projects to highlight in a forthcoming series for the BBC? Based on what we know so far, this is an excellent opportunity to highlight the contribution that empty homes practitioners make or to reveal issues we face. Over to Vicki Pratt of Two Four: 'Following the success of our popular and long-running BBC1 series The Housing Enforcers, Two Four has been commissioned to produce a new BBC1 documentary series about bringing back Britain’s empty homes. Find Me a Home (w/t) will celebrate the successes of local authorities, charities and philanthropists as they bring some of the 200,000 unused dwellings across the country back into action - and in doing so provide valued homes for those in need. In each episode consumer champion Matt Allwright will follow 4 or 5 empty properties across the UK and tell their stories through the eyes of those who are turning them around. He won’t just be looking at EDMOs or CPOs - but at any house that is currently unoccupied long term. Each story will concentrate on an empty house at some point in its journey to be put back into use as a home; it could be the moment it is discovered, neglected and in disrepair, it could be half way through the process of renovation, or it could be the moment it is handed to a grateful family and brought back to life. In terms of time commitment, we would not be following the whole process from start to finish, therefore we would not require long term filming access to your institution. Instead, we are asking for institutions to put forward any stories of properties their teams may be working on - in any stage of the process.

Perhaps your team have just been made aware of a property that is vacant and being misused? Matt could join them as they gain access for the first time to assess what may need to be done.
Or you may now have control of a property and are mid-renovation? Maybe the roofing contractor is booked to assess the extent of a leaking roof - or a shiny new bathroom is about to be installed? We would be interested in filming some of the work being carried out, or (if time allows) a ‘before and after’ to show the extent of the work that has been undertaken.
Maybe you are soon to hand over the keys of a finished product to a family who had previously been homeless - we could follow the moment they first set eyes on their brand new home and hear what this fresh start means to them.

We are due to begin filming this series immediately and will be accepting stories until mid-October, so please do let us know if anything (however small) comes up during this timeframe. We’re really excited about this new series and I hope it is something you will be interested in taking part in. Two Four has a strong reputation amongst local authorities, housing associations and charities for the celebratory programmes we produce about their services. Our wish is to show just how important this work is to tackling the country’s housing crisis - particularly at a time when this issue is so firmly planted in the public’s consciousness. I very much look forward to hearing from you and can be contacted directly on 0207 438 1932 or by email at Vicki.Pratt@Twofour.co.uk.'