The solutions

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 thousands of properties bought by wealthy investors, who leave them empty to store of wealth or to sell-on at a profit. In the second half of 2019, we will be holding a public consultation on what the GLA and the Government should be doing to stop this practice. Get in touch with Will McMahon if you want to get involved.

Join our campaign for government investment

We are calling for the government to invest in tackling empty homes. In the summer of 2019, we will be launching our National Action on Empty Homes Partnership. It is calling for 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.

Latest

London Housing Campaigners Meeting: Evidence and impacts of 'Buy-to-Leave' in London

Oct 17th evening campaign meeting for local housing activists on 'buy to leave' and wealth investment in London residential property
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
National Empty Homes Week 2019 Sept 23rd - 29th

This year the housing crisis has intensified as long-term empty homes numbers rose by nearly 11,000 to over 216,000 focusing public attention on the problem
Great Places Commission Report seeks investment and end to auction disposals of Social Homes

National Housing Federation's eagerly-anticipated report recommends how we create great places to live. Topping list are investment, national Landlords register, community assets and an end to auction sell-offs of social homes.

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
Accessibility
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.
Support Action on Empty Homes

We rely on support from individuals and grant funders. Want to support us? Then click the donate box at the top of the page.
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.
Publications and Research

We produce four types of publications: Campaign publications advocating policy responses to end the waste of empty homes Reports on active programmes to bring empty homes into use Research and analysis of the empty homes issue. Our annual Empty Homes England report, the only comprehensive annual analysis of official data
Privacy Policy

Privacy policy – last updated 1 May 2019
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.
National Empty Homes Week 2019 Sept 23rd - 29th

This year the housing crisis has intensified as long-term empty homes numbers rose by nearly 11,000 to over 216,000 focusing public attention on the problem
Current Projects

We are developing a toolkit for community-led empty homes projects and working on tackling wealth investor ‘buy to leave’ in London. We are also building a national coalition to call for government investment in empty homes.