Refurbishing empty homes and obtaining grant funding

In order to find out what grant funding is available, please get in touch with your local authority. They often have dedicated empty homes teams who will be able to give you any information on any schemes they are running or advice on how to get funding to bring an empty property back into use.

Latest

Airbnb Regulation or Deregulation DEADLINE to decide...RESPOND TO GOVERNMENT NOW!

Currently there are no controls on Airbnb in England. This is your chance to respond to two Government consultations that offer some hope of regulating Airbnb. This is your chance to respond by 7th June 2023.
HOW TO RESPOND to Government Consultation on Registration System for Airbnbs and Short Lets

This is the second Government Consultation on Short Lets or Airbnbs - the deadline is 7th June 2023 - we need a robust, compulsory system to sit alongside the proposed new planning use class and platforms must be compelled to share data with local councils.
Government Airbnb Consultations HOW TO RESPOND - ACT NOW! DEADLINE 7th June

How to respond to two current Government Consultations on new powers to regulate Short Lets and Airbnb - one is on registration and licensing and one on a new planning use class for short lets that take homes out of residential use. Respond by 7th June 2023
Wales follows Scotland to create National Empty Homes Programme as England’s empties continue to pile up

Jack Portman looks at Wales new National Empty Homes Programme and asks whether the rest of the UK is leaving England behind on housing policy, as vacancy levels in England continue to rise amidst an intense housing crisis.

How do I find the owner of an abandoned property?

Action on Empty Homes does not have the capacity to assist individuals or property developers in locating the owners of individual empty properties, but we can access expert advice for you and there are a number of ways in which the owner may be located, these are listed here:
Empty Homes Data

Government publish data on vacant dwellings for each local authority and for England as a whole. Action on Empty Homes publishes the most authoritative guide to empty homes data and each year we analyse the official data on long-term empty homes, producing the only comprehensive analysis of this data.
In Empty Homes Week 2022 we call for action and investment

In Empty Homes Week 2022 we explain the areas of policy that fail our homeless and families in need of genuinely affordable housing. Empty homes have two roles in this they can house the homeless and they can show us where housing policy fails by building 'The Wrong Housing' to end the Housing Crisis
Massive 20% rise in empty homes up over 42,000 to 268,385 while 100,000 families are stuck in Temporary Accommodation

Government data released today shows a massive year on year rise of over 42,000 to a total of 268,385 long-term empty homes in England, as nearly 100,000 families languish in temporary accommodation. This is the biggest rise since current records began.
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.
Ask your local candidates to Sign up to the Campaign Against Empty Homes Local Election Manifesto

The Campaign Against Empty Homes is supported by Action on Empty Homes The Big Issue Disabled People Against Cuts Fuel Poverty Action The Green Party Homes for All Labour Homelessness Campaign London Renters’ Rights Peace & Justice Project Radical Housing Network Social Housing Action Campaign Southwark Defend Council Housing Streets Kitchen Street Storage Unite Community London and South East Unite the Union London and Eastern Region
Future proofing: Use Empty Homes Week 2022 to explore retrofitting while renovating

Empty Homes Week 2022 takes place from Monday February 28th to Sunday March 6th. Brighid Carey, AEH Consultancy and Projects Manager says we should all use the focus it offers to explore retrofitting while renovating and bringing empty homes back into use
Pretty Vacant: Our latest report on London's housing crisis

New report reveals why the next 500 high rise towers won’t end London’s housing crisis and the Government action needed.
Global Empty Homes Network Launches in UK, USA and Australia with call for worldwide housing protections during Covid Crisis

Action on Empty Homes, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and Prosper Australia, announce launch of the Global Empty Homes Network (GEHN). The three organizations, based in the UK, the US, and Australia will focus particularly on the mismatch between growing empty homes numbers and increasing housing need.
News coverage highlights second homes numbers rising as thousands flip to business rates

Recent media coverage focused on so-called 'second homes' flipping to business rates to avoid paying council tax and how this adds to local housing pressures as homes disappear from residential supply