National Empty Homes Week 2023 :

Monday February 27th - Sunday March 5th

 

What's the purpose of National Empty Homes Week?

Each year Empty Homes Week offers participating councils an opportunity to demonstrate the action they are taking to bring wasted empty homes back into use and to take action on empty homes which negatively impact neighbourhoods.

The Week is a great opportunity to publicise information and assistance for owners of empty homes and to offer local residents advice on how to report any empty homes causing concern in their neighbourhoods.

For 2023 Media Release calling for action on One Million Homes Nobody Lives In - CLICK HERE 

During Empty Homes Week 2022, last year we...

• Highlighted hundreds of successful local initiatives being promoted by councils around the country.
• Encouraged thousands of success stories to be shared across local media and through local authorities’ own communication channels, from newsletters and websites to social media.
• Argued for additional support for local authorities in bringing empty homes into use, including streamlined EDMO powers and a balanced package of enforcement and incentives through a new National Empty Homes Programme with funding devolved to local government. 
• Inspired calls for investment by organisations including the Local Government Association and by ARLA Propertymark, the national organisation representing estate agencies and lettings agents, who wrote to the Secretary of State, Michael Gove MP, to support our call for targeted investment to bring empty homes back to use.

Now new powers are coming..

Later in 2022 the Government introduced the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill in parliament which will bring new powers for councils to introduce empty homes council tax premium after 1 year rather than two, something we have long called for.

For the first time the Bill will also offer similar powers to double council tax on second homes, or furnished empties, where these are not being let. This is a significant recognition of these homes vacancy.

BUT we feel more can be done to address impact on housing supply, particularly in areas where so-called 'second homes' and whole home Airbnb lets have proliferated exponentially in recent years. Action on Empty Homes support councils' calls for the introduction of local controls and for a robust licensing regime for short lettings.

National Empty Homes Week 2023 has 3 key themes:

• First, we want to hear about councils' work and initiatives - we encourage councils to use the Empty Homes Week 2023 logo on publicity and send us stories, images and social media postings so that we can publicise these on our website and social media channels. In past years this has ranged from ‘before and after’ success stories and images, to information videos on social media; and local interviews and case studies:    

• Case studies prepared for Empty Homes Week 2022 showcased local initiatives including a whole home retrofit project by Derbyshire Dales Council on 19th Century terraced homes in Matlock illustrating what can be achieved by fabric-first whole home retrofit.

• We also saw an excellent example of a local council making best use of existing powers in a blog showcasing the use of Empty Dwelling Management Order and Compulsory Purchase powers in Central Bedfordshire

• Second, we want to Empty Homes Week to be an opportunity to explore the value of retrofitting as we renovate, in order to work towards NetZero targets – AEH is calling for Government funding to support local initiatives to retrofit empty homes, develop green skills and build local supply infrastructure. You can lend your support by signing up to our Retrofit Call to Action: here

• Third,we want to promote the opportunity offered by community-based approaches to bringing empty homes into use - through partnerships between local authorities and communities working together to deliver affordable housing for local people. During 2022 we continued work to promote our Community Action on Empty Homes Toolkit at events around the country to support local authorities and communities and to highlight the opportunity for new conversations and new ways of thinking, building creative partnerships to deliver lasting change.
  

To find out more about National Empty Homes Week 2023 and take part please contact us at [email protected]  or get in touch with our Campaign Manager Chris Bailey, who can provide support material including logos and national, local and regional data analysis.

 

SUPPORT US

We are campaigning for action on empty homes. The research and campaigning work we do is only funded by generous grants and donors. If you believe that action must be taken on empty homes, please consider donating to support us. Thank you.