Action on Empty Homes

Government Proposes New Empty Homes and Second Homes Tax Powers - but is taxation enough?

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill published 11th May offers councils new powers to increase tax on empties after a year and double Council Tax on unused 'second homes'. But is this enough? Read more
Our Pretty Vacant Manchester report asks is Manchester Building 'The Wrong Housing'

Action on Empty Homes new report supported by the Evan Cornish Foundation reports on work to examine vacancy levels and housing policy in Manchester and asks questions about the City's 'hidden empties', its persistently high level of so-called 'second homes' and the impact of Airbnb on access to housing. Read more
Sign and share our Call to Action for retrofitting empty homes

Action on Empty Homes have launched a Call to Action for the whole-house retrofitting of empty homes to tackle the climate and housing emergencies. Read more
Do Barcelona and Amsterdam have the answer to Airbnbification? And will Michael Gove listen to Conservative-led Councils

Airbnbification -- the process by which short-term Airbnb rentals overtake the housing market - has been linked to the depletion of local housing stocks, increased home prices, gentrification, and exclusionary displacement; the cumulative effects of which can disrupt entire communities and increase precarity among community members. Read more

Action on Empty Homes focus on the 238,306 long-term empty homes in England and bringing them back into use for people in need of homes
- with over 900,000 vacant homes in all, it's time for action

Current Projects

From our new toolkit for community-led empty homes projects to work tackling wealth investor ‘buy to leave’ and the Global Empty Homes Network; and a national coalition calling on Government to invest to save.

Community Action on Empty Homes Toolkit

Our new Toolkit is designed to encourage partnerships between local councils and communities to bring empty homes back into use, to meet local housing needs.

Our impact

120	120 local authorities take part in Empty Homes Week
9,000	Our campaign for the Government to fund schemes to bring empty homes into use was adopted. Between 2012 and 2015 over 9,000 new homes were created. We need this re-started
200%	Council Tax can now be doubled on homes left two years empty. We campaigned against discounts for empty homes and support councils implementing new premiums

Support Action on Empty Homes

We rely on support from individuals and grant funders. Want to support us? Then click here to help us continue our campaigning work...

Nobody's Home

Our latest report on London's housing crisis looks at how wealth investment fuels London's failed development model and locks Londoners out of decent affordable housing

Latest events

Sign and share our Call to Action for retrofitting empty homes

Action on Empty Homes have launched a Call to Action for the whole-house retrofitting of empty homes to tackle the climate and housing emergencies. Read more
Start: 11^th November, 2021 at 11:00am

End: 11^th November, 2021 at 12:30pm

Published: 1^st January, 2022

Updated: 17^th May, 2022

Author:

Location: Online
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Regulating Airbnb: Approaches from Berlin, Barcelona and Amsterdam

Airbnb is having an impact all over the country, reducing the number of homes available for permanent residents, whether in desirable coastal and rural areas or the 1 in 50 homes in London. 'How have cities across Europe mitigated the impacts of Airbnb on housing markets? What can we learn from their experiences?' RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube Read more
Start: 23^rd February, 2022 at 7:00pm

End: 1^st January, 2050 at 8:15pm

Published: 1^st February, 2022

Updated: 4^th April, 2022

Author:

Location: Online at https://youtu.be/s5ShIf2BU1o
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Latest stories

Empty Homes Week 2022 showed the need for action and investment

Across the country Empty Homes Week 2022 saw councils showcase innovation as national voices called on Government to invest in the wasted opportunity empty homes represent - in order to expand housing supply and meet NetZero and energy price-rise challenges. Read more
Case Study Full-house Fabric First Retrofit of 1890s terraces in Matlock

Case Study of full-house fabric-first retrofit for heritage almshouse homes in Matlock, Derbyshire Dales for National Empty Homes Week 2022 Showing an approach relevant to a property-type common amongst England's 238,306 empty homes. Read more
We can’t avoid talking about corruption and the opacity of ownership

If we want to talk about the housing affordability crisis in global cities, then we can’t avoid talking about corruption and the opacity of ownership as well. Read more

Action on Empty Homes focus on the 238,306 long-term empty homes in England and bringing them back into use for people in need of homes- with over 900,000 vacant homes in all, it's time for action

Our impact

120

9,000

200%

Latest events

Latest stories

Action on Empty Homes focus on the 238,306 long-term empty homes in England and bringing them back into use for people in need of homes
- with over 900,000 vacant homes in all, it's time for action