How many empty homes are there in England?
The total number of empty dwellings as at 13 September 2021 was 468,000 – a decrease of 11,000 or 2.4% on the previous year as quoted on the official government website: Local Authority Council Tax base England 2021
Long term empty homes are dwellings which are unoccupied for a period of 6 months or more and substantially unfurnished.
In amongst this subject are second homes which account for 243,134 in 2021. Thanks to the likes of hard work or inheritance, a few people enjoy a second home in the UK. Sometimes this can be a rural retreat to get anyway from urban life woes, maybe it is a tiny cottage by the sea so to unwind or maybe it is reversed with the second home the likes of an apartment in the city. This excludes those owning a second home as a rental property.
In London, the number of empty homes rose from 30,548 to 32,818 between 2020 and 2021. The areas with the most empty homes were Southwark (2,705) and Newham (2,246). source MSN
Empty property do not go unnoticed. Be it by the neighbours lodging complaints to local authorities when maintenance becomes an issue to hungry property buyers looking to bag a bargain, empty homes do attract attention. Not all empty homes are evident and rarely will they be left to fall in to total disrepair.
Dream home sat empty for decades – On the western shore of Hollingworth Lake, Rochdale, sits a bungalow that has never been lived in. source manchestereveningnews
If you have a keen eye for spotting empty homes or are close to the local gossip then there are websites where you can share the addresses with to get not only a gift vouchers, but up to £10,000 if the property gets purchased from your information – Check out You Spot Property.
How to spot a long term empty / abandoned property:
- Overgrown / untidy gardens.
- Boarded up windows / doors.
- Missing tiles / broken & blocked guttering / drains.
- Mounting post.
- Empty rooms.
- No lights on during evenings.
- No vehicles outside for prolonged period.
Action on Empty Homes is calling on Westminster leaders to launch a national empty homes strategy, saying £200 million is needed to support local authorities to bring long-term unused houses in England back into use. source bigissue
You May Also Enjoy
Here’s how to avoid garden rows this summer
Breaking Property News 16/7/26
Why the postcode can make a big difference to your rebuild costs
New record rents as rental supply falls for first time since 2022
Our predictions for the property market in the second half of 2026