Our story

Action on Empty Homes was established in 1992 to try to ensure that empty homes in England are brought back into use for those in housing need.

We have built our reputation not only as campaigners but in developing practical ideas on how to bring empty homes back into use. These ideas have been adopted as national policy and also local practice. Our track record of campaigning has put the charity in a good position to influence decision-makers and to do more to tackle the waste of empty homes in England.

Our focus is on ensuring empty homes are brought back into use for those priced out of decent housing across England or in housing need, for example, due to disability or long-term health problems.

Our influence has been enhanced over the last two decades through building our reputation as the 'go to' place for media comment, as well as for a thorough analysis of both the causes of empty homes and what works in bringing them back into use.

Since 2000, Action on Empty Homes has played a significant role in campaigning to ensure:

Removing automatic Council Tax discounts on empty properties (from 2013).
Councils being able to charge more Council Tax on empty homes (from 2013).
Government funding of empty homes schemes from 2011-2015.
The New Homes Bonus being applied to long-term empty properties returned to use (2010).
The reduction of the rate of VAT charged on empty homes renovation work (from 2007).
The creation of Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) powers for councils to tackle long-term empty homes (from 2004).

Latest

Community Action on Empty Homes - Developing the new AEH Community Toolkit:

Latest update on the Community Action on the Empty Homes Toolkit we’re developing for communities and local authorities to use together by Brighid Carey who is leading on this project
Estimating ‘buy to leave’ in Kensington & Chelsea

Data from the latest Council Taxbase reveals Kensington & Chelsea has the highest proportion of long-term empty homes in London. Furthermore, 10% of the borough's homes are classed as 'second homes'. Chujan Sivathasan uses data from Jonathan Bourne at UCL and draws on Dr Rex Atkinson's work on 'Anchoring Wealth: The grounded impact of international wealth chains on housing markets in London'
Using empty homes to regenerate communities - our report looks at how

Brighid Carey shows how affordable housing can be delivered from empty homes through collaboration with communities
How Lambeth fought back to save Nour

Jack Baillie reports on how people in Lambeth fought back against the destructive effects of wealth investment in their community

Where are Haringey's Second Homes?

Why is Haringey the only council in the country not submitting crucial housing data to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government?
Pretty Vacant

Our new report on why the next 500 high-rise towers in London won't end the capitals's housing crisis. And how they will make it worse.
Meet the team

Our staff team and Board of Trustees work closely together to ensure that Action on Empty Homes campaigns for change in the most effective way.
What we do

Action on Empty Homes campaigns for empty homes to be brought into use for people in housing need. We raise awareness, campaign for policy change, provide advice and research and develop ideas to help bring empty homes into use
Why empty homes matter

There are over 216,000 homes long-term empty when England needs over 300,000 additional homes each year. Bringing long-term empty homes back into use will also help rebuild neighbourhoods and make environmental sense.
Empty Homes England 2019 is available now

Our new annual report on the state of the empty homes problem in England reports the second consecutive annual increase in numbers to over 216,000 and the fastest rise in a decade
Publications and Research

We produce four types of publications: Campaign publications advocating policy responses to end the waste of empty homes Research and analysis of the issue including Empty Homes in England, the only comprehensive annual analysis of official data Reports on active programmes to bring empty homes into use Practical toolkits to support those working in the field
Estimating ‘buy to leave’ in Kensington & Chelsea

Data from the latest Council Taxbase reveals Kensington & Chelsea has the highest proportion of long-term empty homes in London. Furthermore, 10% of the borough's homes are classed as 'second homes'. Chujan Sivathasan uses data from Jonathan Bourne at UCL and draws on Dr Rex Atkinson's work on 'Anchoring Wealth: The grounded impact of international wealth chains on housing markets in London'
Homes Without Residents - new report

Our London housing project looks at 'buy to leave' and the impact of wealth investment in residential property. Raising critical questions over 100,000 London homes sucked out of residential supply, the role of Airbnb and so-called 'second homes'. Includes international survey of policy responses.
The solutions

We believe in community-led action to tackle empty homes, encouraged by active local authorities to support grassroots initiatives, underpinned by a government investment strategy to bring long-term empties back into use.