The Solutions

If we all take action together we can radically reduce the number of empty homes across the country.

Take action in your local community

Individuals and local housing activist groups have taken community-led action to create new projects to bringing empty homes back into use.  Contact Brighid Carey if you want to take local action.

Elected councillors can play an important role

Local councillors have played a crucial role in tackling empty homes by developing strategies to support local communities and individuals who want to take action.  If you are a local councillor or an officer and want to get involved, then email Chris Bailey.

Get involved in our London focused ‘Buy to Leave’ project.

London has tens of thousands of properties bought by wealthy investors, who may leave them empty to store of wealth or to sell-on at a profit. Some investors may use them in other ways which generate a profit without offering anyone a home - these include 'whole home' year-round Airbnb lets.  In the second half of 2019, we held a public conversation (and commissioned opinion research) on what the GLA and the Government should be doing to stop this practice. The results of that phase of the project were published in April 2020 as our 'Pretty Vacant' report on how wealth investment restricts access to housing in London. We also reviewed the international situation and policy responses around the world, in our earlier publication 'Homes Without Residents'. To get involved with the next phase of this project get in touch with Will McMahon or  Chris Bailey.

Join our campaign for government investment

We are calling for the government to invest in tackling empty homes. Our call for targeted investment has been supported by a wide range of organisations through the Coalition for Community Investment, read more on the Coalition here. We were also supported in our call for urgent investment and a review of the powers available to local authorities by the Nationwide Building Society who supported our publication Empty Homes in England 2019 and the 2019 National Empty Homes Week. Nationwide also started a campaign on the issue amongst its members and called for action by the new Government shortly after the December 2019 General Election. In the summer of 2019, we called for a National Action on Empty Homes Partnership to deliver three things:

• Government investment to tackle the growth in empty homes
• Local Authority commitment to developing strategies for community-led solutions for empty homes 
• Community-led action to refurbish empty homes in local communities. 

Please let us know if you want to become a supporter by emailing info (at) actiononemtpyhomes.org

Stay in touch by joining our e-bulletin list.

Our e-bulletins are short and snappy but will keep you up to speed on what is going on both nationally and internationally on empty homes. Email Chris Bailey with 'Bulletin' in the subject line.