1,371 homes standing empty in Manchester

February 26, 2019

A recent news story shares that 1,371 homes are empty in Manchester with 94 that have been empty for over 10 years!

The figures, released by University College London, have generated discontent from campaigners who feel that these figures lean towards being an ’empty housing scandal’.

Rightly so, it the current client of affordable housing shortages, Manchester City Council have announced higher taxation rates for empty property owners in hope that this will encourage them being put to use. A 100% premium is being charged annually on property that have been empty for more than two years with a 200% premium on property that have been empty for over 5 years. Similar procedures are in place in Tameside.

“Manchester City Council has also introduced an Empty Homes Cluster Plan, in which the council buys empty homes in North and east Manchester with a view to repairing and reselling the properties to the owner or first time buyer.” Manchester Evening News website.

The council have been acting in that 62 vacant homes were bought locally to include renovation projects. Reasons for property to be standing empty include negative equity, lengthy probate issues and people unsure of what to do with inherited property and especially those which are in a bad state.

Councillor Suzanne Richards, responsible for housing and regeneration at Manchester City Council was quoted as saying: “Manchester City Council has prioritised bringing empty homes back into use and has been using every tool at our disposal to do this.”

Chris Bailey, Campaign Manager from charity Action on Empty Homes was quoted as saying: “It is time we all woke up to the fact that around one in every 30 homes in England has no residents at a time of national housing crisis.“

EAN Breaking News

Breaking News from the team at Estate Agent Networking. Have a new story to share with us? Then please get in contact today! When and where we can we will refer to third party websites with a 'live link back' where news was released first.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

UK House Price Index for December 2025

The latest UK House Price Index shows that: The average monthly rate of house price growth in December was -0.7%. Average UK house price annual inflation was 2.4% in the 12 months to December 2025. As a result, the average UK house price currently sits at £270,000.   Here are some thoughts from the Industry.…
Read More →
Cozy Pet Cat Tree Grey
Breaking News

10 things all tenants need to know when renting now

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27th October 2025 and will introduce major reforms to private renting in England. The first raft of measures affecting tenants will come into force on 1st May this year. So, whether you currently have a tenancy agreement or are planning to rent this year, here are…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Average monthly mortgage payment down £119 year-on-year in January

Rightmove’s monthly mortgage tracker shows that the national average monthly mortgage payment in January was £1,592, based on January’s average asking price for a home of £368,031: Average monthly mortgage payments are £119 (7%) lower than a year ago, despite the average price of a home rising by 0.5% year-on-year in January A big January…
Read More →
Countryside
Breaking News

Homes with a great view command premiums

Buyers are paying a 28% price premium for homes with a great view The latest research from Yopa reveals that homebuyers who want to secure a property with a great view are going to have to pay an average price premium of 28%, rising beyond 35% in the North East. Every house has windows, and…
Read More →
for sale sign london
Breaking News

More sellers looking to enter the property market

The latest research from eXp UK has revealed that an increasing number of home sellers are entering the UK market, as demonstrated by recent growth in online search interest for terms such as ‘estate agent’ and ‘best estate agent’. Previous research from eXp UK recently found that sellers started reentering the market in the opening…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Non-standard home insurance cover and how to get it right

Leading insurer provides the low-down on non-standard home insurance cover and how to get it right Most home insurance policies in the UK are designed for ‘standard’ homes, but not every home is considered standard. Whether the property is built with timber frames, has a flat roof or is a listed building, it may fall…
Read More →