A cross-party group of MPs, Peers and housing organisations has written to the housing minister to call for urgent action to bring over a quarter of a million long term empty homes back into use.
Following a recent parliamentary roundtable on empty homes chaired by Paula Barker MP, 5 actions were identified that would help to bring long-term empty homes back into use, some of which can be quickly and easily implemented:
- Increase Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) flexibility to enable a greater portion of the funding to be used to bring empty homes back into use – currently this is limited to 10% outside of London.
- Reform Empty Homes Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) so that councils can use them to address empty homes after six months rather than two years.
- Introduce a national empty homes strategy as part of the Government’s long-term housing strategy, due next year, and a contribution to the target to deliver 1.5m homes.
- Establish a statutory duty for councils to undertake empty homes work.
- Reform probate to end the situation whereby some properties are exempted from the Empty Homes Premium – an additional tax councils can charge on empty properties – indefinitely.
The Parliamentarians outline that empty homes can play a significant role in immediately addressing the housing supply crisis and addressing homelessness whilst the country scales up building more social and affordable homes.
MP Paula Barker said: “It is not right that so many properties are sitting empty when so many families are in desperate need of a home. We are urging the government to drive action on empty homes as part of its long-term housing plans. This will enable more households to be supported into a secure home sooner.”
The full letter, signed by organisations including The Empty Homes Network and Action on Empty Homes, can be read here.
