Large Midlands council brings nearly 200 homes back into use but thousands remain empty

According to research by Crisis, the number of long-term empty properties has increased in every English region over the past six years and stood at 248,000 at the end of last year.

In Leicester, the council said that its empty homes team tackled the problem with regular visits and face-to-face contacts with owners.

The team deals with properties that have been empty for 18 months or longer.

At March of this year, the council’s team was dealing with 424 active cases, up from 368 at the same point last year. The report suggested that the cost of living crisis had deterred owners from spending money on properties, while the pandemic remained a factor.

Chris Burgin, director of housing at Leicester City Council, said the team’s “persistence and continued engagement with owners about empty homes usually means that properties are brought back into use before any formal legal action is needed”.

But he warned that compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) will still be used. 

Mr Burgin added: “However, we have demonstrated that we will proceed to compulsory purchase order if all other options have been exhausted, issuing 123 CPOs to help bring empty homes back into use over the last 12 years.”

Councils can currently charge up to 200% of a normal council tax bill for homes that are “unoccupied and substantially unfurnished” for two years or more.

Inside Housing revealed in May that the government’s housing agency has never used the CPO powers it was granted in 2017.

The policy was introduced in 2017 during the Autumn Budget of then-chancellor Philip Hammond. At the time, he said that Homes England would have additional powers to drive the development of new homes, including compulsory purchase where necessary.