In The News 2008
Move to end council tax discounts defeated - 22nd December 2008this is hampshire.net - Winchester,England,UK
She claimed evidence from the Empty Homes Agency showed removing the discount would have an effect. However, Cllr Cathy Osselton, Cabinet member for housing ...
RICS presses for change in VAT rules to bring abandoned houses - 22nd December 2008
Times Online - UK
The Government could house tens of thousands of families if it took steps to help to bring Britain's empty homes back into use, according to a report by the ...
Leeds charity helps homeless renovate their future homes - 19th December 2008
At the same time, the Empty Homes Agency, the campaigning charity, believes the downturn in the housing market and a sharp rise in repossessions have combined to send the number of empty homes across the UK up to a record 939,000. ...
Housing Crisis: Millions In Need - 18th December 2008
Sky News - UK
David Ireland is chief executive of the Empty Homes Agency, an independent charity that brings empty and wasted property back into use. ...
Let good sense be no barrier to concreting the countryside - 17th December 2008
Guardian - UK
The construction lobby's argument for a greenbelt landgrab has been blown apart by the credit crunch. Yet still they win the day. ...
Public Service - Let's fill the housing void with all the empty homes - 16th December 2008
As concerns over a housing shortage continue, Henry Oliver, policy adviser from the Empty Homes Agency, argues that we have more empty houses than we could ...
Squat in Mayfair - viewing by appointment - 16th December 2008
The Empty Homes Agency, a charity that tries to persuade owners of Britain’s one million vacant properties to let or sell them, believes that the Abu Dhabi royals have many equally grand empty properties across London. ...
Squat in Mayfair - viewing by appointment - 13th December 2008
Times Online - UK
The Empty Homes Agency, a charity that tries to persuade owners of Britain's one million vacant properties to let or sell them, believes that the Abu Dhabi ...
The bottom line - 12th December 2008
Inside Housing - UK
One of my major regrets in the years I’ve worked in and around housing is that the late Bob Lawrence left the Empty Homes Agency before he could carry out his threat to dress up as an ostrich and protest outside the House of Commons...
An answer to the supply crisis is lying empty - 5th December 2008
Inside Housing - UK
‘I’m afraid I found nothing,’ said David Ireland, the chief executive of the Empty Homes Agency, at his organisation’s annual conference last week. ...
Empty homes website launched - 1st December 2008
Public Servant Online - Staffordshire,UK
The Empty Homes Agency has launched a website that will alert local authorities of any empty houses in their area. Designed by the mySociety charity, ...
663000 Empty Homes: Who's To Blame? - 28th November 2008
Find a Property - USA
Why are there are 663000 empty homes in the UK? And what can be done about it? ... According to the Empty Homes Agency, there are 663000 empty homes in ...
Nobody is at home - 26th November 2008
Local Government Chronicle - Market Harborough,England,UK
As the recession bites, an increase in empty homes is blighting areas. How can they be brought back into use? Most lobby groups declare a 'week of action' ...
The scandal of empty homes - 25th November 2008
Regen.net - London,England,UK
To mark National Empty Homes Week of Action Huw Morris writes on the scandal the UK's empty homes surplus. In the global football market, Anfield is in the ...
Empty homes are key to tackling the housing shortage, charity says - 25th November 2008
24dash - Hereford,UK
The Empty Homes Agency said the downturn in the housing market and a steep rise in repossessions had caused a record number of homes in England to become ...
Housing shortage? What housing shortage? - 25th November 2008
Londonist - London,UK
The Empty Homes Agency reports that while there are 330000 families on council waiting lists for housing, tens of thousands of homes are lying dormant, ...
100000 homes empty in London, says charity - 24th November 2008
This is London - London,England,UK
Today The Empty Homes Agency is calling on all London boroughs to step up their action to tackle the housing crisis. Chief executive David Ireland said: "At ...
Call to tackle housing shortage with empty homes - 23rd November 2008
Independent - London,England,UK
By Rosamond Hutt, PA The Empty Homes Agency said the downturn in the housing market and a steep rise in repossessions had caused a record number of homes in ...
Empty home numbers 'on increase' - 23rd November 2008
BBC News - UK
The number of empty homes in England is increasing due to the downturn in the housing market and a sharp rise in repossessions, a charity has warned. ...
Waste Not Want Not - 21st November 2008
Inside Housing - UK
Among all the talk of falling house building rates, another threat to housing supply is rearing its head again - vacancies.
How web tools could help the economy - 20th November 2008
The Guardian - UK
Barack Obama has shown with resounding success how internet innovations - from Facebook to Twitter - can help win elections. But can similar tools help solve the economic problems facing Gordon Brown and other political leaders trying to jump-start a stalled global economy?
Public urged to report empty homes - 19th November 2008
Regen.net - London,England,UK
Independent charity the Empty Homes Agency is calling on the public to report run-down vacant property to help bring them back into use. ...
Nearly a million buy-to-let properties are standing empty - 14th November 2008
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
Whatever the reason, the Empty Homes Agency (EHA) believes that a staggering 85pc of empty homes in this country belong to landlords. ...
The good news - house prices will rise again (and then they'll fall) - 14th November 2008
Times Online - UK
According to the empty homes agency there are currenlty 850000 empty properties across the UK! Wonderful to know that another house price boom is just ...
Thousands of new homes stand empty - 14th November 2008
Inside Housing - UK
David Ireland, chief executive of the Empty Homes Agency, said the figures oustripped the national vacancy average of 3.5 per cent. ‘This is massively more. ...
Housing list 'meltdown' warning - 8th November 2008
BBC News - UK
David Ireland, a spokesman for housing charity The Empty Homes Agency, said the solution could lie behind boarded-up homes. There are believed to be one ...
Why house prices will keep falling - fast - 8th October 2008
MoneyWeek (subscription) - London,UK
The Empty Homes Agency has a higher number: it estimates that there are more than 840000 empty homes in Britain. That's almost 4% of our total housing stock ...
The wait goes on for families facing property squeeze - 24th September 2008
Swindon Advertiser - Swindon,Wiltshire,UK
By Jeremy Grimaldi » A FAMILY living in a two bedroom council flat is asking why they cannot have one of Swindon’s 2139 private empty homes. ...
Council criticised over estate's empty homes - 18th September 2008
News Shopper - UK
Chief executive of the Empty Homes Agency charity David Ireland made the comments after expressing frustration at the number of empty houses in Greenwich ...
New Tricks with Old Bricks - Liverpool’s homes dilemma - 15th September 2008
By OPPE News
Liverpool in the UK has thousands of empty homes, prompting environmental as well as investment questions, a group says. The Empty Homes Agency says the city has 14825 unoccupied properties which... [[ This is a content summary only. ...
Off Plan Property Exchange Real... - http://www.offplanpropertyexchange.com/news
New proposal challenges eco town ethos - 12th September 2008
Assetz News - Stockport,England,UK
This came from the Empty Homes Agency (EHA), which suggested a novel new site for an eco town - Liverpool. However, the suggestion was not about placing ...
Devon district unveils housing study findings - 12th September 2008
mform - UK
In other planning news, chief executive of the Empty Homes Agency David Ireland has called for thousands of empty homes in Liverpool to be regenerated ...
EHA: Empty homes should play a role
AboutProperty.co.uk - London,UK
Bring back purchase and repair grants to allow housing associations to create new affordable homes out of run down empty property. ...
Charity in bid to fill empty houses - 2nd September 2008
Daily Post - Llandudno Junction,UK
Shelter Cymru has now appointed an empty homes officer to work with local authorities to tackle the issue. They hope to copy successful schemes in South ...
Positive occupation - 27th August 2008
guardian.co.uk - UK
"We once squatted a Ministry of Defence property. They were very efficient and took us to court to evict us pretty quickly." The Empty Homes Agency, ...
Landlords face crackdown on derelict homes - 26th August 2008
Journal Live - Newcastle upon Tyne,UK
The new moves come eight months after national charity the Empty Homes Agency (EHA) criticised councils in the North East for not using new powers to tackle ...
Property Xchange brings Oldham's empty homes back into use - 8th August 2008
24dash - Hereford,UK
Property Xchange means that Oldham Council buys empty properties and carries out any necessary work and inspections before offering them directly to people ...
Vacant, and it's not pretty. So how do you deal with a blight on the neighbourhood? - 2nd August 2008
guardian.co.uk
Living near an empty house can take a chunk out of the value of your property. Jill Papworth looks at what you can do about it
Real Lettings and Notting Hill Housing join forces to tackle ... 30th July 2008
24dash - Hereford,UK
Other supporters include: The Empty Homes Agency and Hammersmith and Fulham, Lewisham, Southwark and Westminster Councils.
Empty Homes Agency — Blogs, Pictures, and more on WordPress
Empty Homes in the UK. Did you know that the number of recently built houses this year was the lowest ...
Offices offer housing hope - 23rd July 2008
guardian.co.uk - UK
A change in business rate rules last year means owners receive rate relief only for the first three months after a property becomes empty. ...
Government launches new affordable housing drive - 21st July 2008
By admin
EHA lambastes new government housing policies The Empty Homes Agency (EHA) has criticised the government for focusing on building new homes rather than seeking to bring vacant existing property into use.
Personal Finance and Mortgages - http://resourceforpersonalfinance.com/blog
Empty Homes U-Turn
UK Property Services
...Has this Labour Government lost the plot?
The Problem of Empty Homes in UK - 19th July 2008
By Tejvan R Pettinger
It is surprising to find out there is actually a huge number of empty houses in the UK. The Empty Homes Agency estimates that there are 840000 empty homes in the UK. They also estimate that another 400000 houses could be created from ...
Finance Blog - http://www.mortgageguideuk.co.uk/blog
EHA lambastes new government housing policies - 19th July 2008
The Empty Homes Agency (EHA) has criticised the government for focusing on building new homes rather than seeking to bring vacant existing property into use.
Mortgagesorter News - http://www.mortgagesorter.co.uk/articles/index.php
Empty homes u-turn angers campaigners
Realestate TV - London,England,UK
A campaign group has expressed its concern that the government has done a U-turn on its empty homes policy. On Wednesday, the government announced that it ...
EHA dismayed by govt u-turn - 18th July 2008
Choices - Sutton,Surrey,UK
The Empty Homes Agency (EHA) has reacted with dismay at the government's policy u-turn on vacant property, announced earlier this week. ...
Dismay over Government's 'u-turn' on empty homes - 17th July 2008
24dash - Hereford,UK
... dismay to the Government's announcement yesterday that it will not, after all, reward councils for taking action to bring empty property back into use. ...
Economy crisis: Empty dwellings rising as housing list hits new high- 11th July 2008
Mirror.co.uk
Thousands more homes are lying empty despite record numbers of families needing accommodation, the Mirror can reveal.
Boris Johnson aims to rescue empty listed homes - 10th July 2008
Times Online - UK
On Tuesday, at the launch of English Heritage's Heritage at Risk register, Boris unveiled a £60million rescue package to bring long-term empty homes in ...
Boris's empty homes target 'met before launch' - 8th July 2008
Regen.net
A target set today by London mayor Boris Johnson to reduce the number of long-term empty homes in the capital would not require any improvement on current performance, a housing campaign group has said.
The GLA Targets Empty Homes
By BenSix
The Empty Homes agency suggests that there are just under 84000 such properties, of which about 70000 are privately owned and 10000 council houses. Details of Boris’s plans are scarce at present, but the GLA has announced that it will ...
Boris Watch - http://www.boriswatch.co.uk
Empty Home "Rescue Package"
By Dave Hill
An audit of London’s dilapidated and abandoned buildings will also be commissioned to draw attention to the worst properties and encourage action to be taken against them." What does this mean? I'm hoping the Empty Homes Agency will ...
London: Mayor & More - http://davehill.typepad.com/london3ms/
Property advice: Need to know - 5th July 2008
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
... purchaser agrees to carry out the necessary repairs. For more information, contact the charitable Empty Homes Agency (020 7022 1870; www.emptyhomes.com).
There is enough housing without building eco town - 4th July 2008
Harrogate Today - Harrogate,England,UK
Furthermore Money Week points out that the Empty Homes Agency estimates that there are 840000 empty homes in Britain, and the National Land Use figures ...
Centre for Cities report highlights NALS Scheme to Regulate Agents
By site admin
... the Vice-Chairman of The Ombudsman for Estate Agents (OEA) highlighted the work of NALS, the approved and Government recognised accreditation scheme, originally set up by RICS, NAEA and ARLA together with the Empty Homes Agency. ...
LandlordZONE News - http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/blog
ECO TOWN: We've got empty homes now - 29th June 2008
Littlehampton Gazette - Littlehampton,England,UK
... yards away from the award winning riverside regeneration scheme. omes, yet there are currently over 660000 empty homes in the UK (www.emptyhomes.com). ...
Campaigners call for cut in VAT on housing repairs - 28th June 2008
24dash - Hereford,UK
The drive has the backing of the Empty Homes Agency, Countryside Alliance and MPs including Kate Hoey, Brian Binley and Bob Russell, along with designer ...
Bigger plans needed to prepare for a housing industry upturn ... 26th June 2008
24dash - Hereford,UK
"It is easy to suggest that families ought to move into empty homes instead of building new ones. However replacement stock can be far more energy efficient ...
672,924 Empty Homes In Britain
Mail On Sunday
Ministers say we need an extra three million homes - So why are so many unoccupied?
Here's how the government can really help first-time buyers - 5th June 2008
guardian.co.uk - UK
To give some further context, last year, the Empty Homes Agency estimated that there were 840000 empty homes in the UK (doument file). ...
Squatting in the media, a squatter responds - 5th June 2008
Indymedia UK - UK
Figures from the Empty Homes Agency show that the number of vacant properties in England has risen by 20000 in the past two years. The rise is being fuelled ...
Home Sweet Empty Home - 5th June 2008
Londonist - London,UK
Hackney reported 1051 empty council homes in 2007 and Southwark, nearly 1300. Indeed, the Empty Homes Agency statistics for 2007 show that there were over ...
Councils accused of promoting squatters' rights charter - 4th June 2008
Residential Landlord - Dartford,UK
New figures from the Empty Homes Agency have revealed that the number of empty homes in England has risen by 20000 in the last two years. ...
Councils accused of promoting squatters' rights charter - 4th June 2008
Residential Landlord - Dartford,UK
The Advisory Service for Squatters has produced a DIY guide on breaking into people’s homes and how to occupy the property. The organisation is being ...
What housing shortage? - 2nd June 2008
MoneyWeek (Subscription) - London,UK
He noted that “around 750000 dilapidated homes” were lying empty across Britain and that around 50% of new-build flats in cities such as Manchester were ...
Tories: Town halls 'helping squatters break into people's homes' - 2nd June 2008
24dash - Hereford,UK
New figures from the Empty Homes Agency have revealed that the number of empty homes in England has risen by 20000 in the last two years. ...
Councils show squatters where they can find out how to break in - 2nd June 2008
Daily Mail - UK
By James Chapman Town halls are referring would-be squatters to a far-Left group selling a £2 DIY guide on how to break into and occupy empty homes. ...
Squatters taught to pick locks by council leaflet - 2nd June 2008
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
By Rosa Prince, Political Correspondent Squatters are being given advice on how to break into empty properties and set up home without paying rent, ...
What Can We Expect From The New London Mayor Boris Johnson? - 31st May 2008
By Ciara
I do agree with Empty Homes Agency Chief Executive David Ireland, who says that at least the bar is high, and that should be a good sign in itself. Keep an eye on the Mayor of London website!
ROYALS of RENT - http://www.royalsofrent.com/
Number of empty homes in England rises - 31st May 2008
The number of empty homes in England has risen for the first time in nine years, according to figures published by campaigning charity the Empty Homes Agency. The number of empty homes is 672924: an increase of nearly 10000 over the ...
Regen.net news | Physical Regeneration - http://www.regen.net/
First empty homes rise in 10 years - 30th May 2008
Inside Housing - UK
Figures published this week by the Empty Homes Agency have revealed that the number of empty homes rose last year for the first time since 1998. ...
New-build crisis means that homes fall empty - 30th May 2008
Times Online - UK
... but more homes are lying empty.” He pointed to a scheme used successfully in the Netherlands, where the gap between need and demand is met by property ...
UK Buy to LEAVE landlords could be fined - 30th May 2008
Property Secrets (subscription) - Crewe,Cheshire,UK
According to The Empty Homes Agency, there are an estimated 870000 empty homes in the UK and enough empty commercial property to create 420000 new homes. ...
First rise in empty homes for nine years - 29th May 2008
The number of empty homes in England has increased for the first time in nine years, according to statistics published by the Empty Homes Agency.
PlanningResource news | Breaking news - http://www.planningresource.co.uk/
Homes left vacant as landlords struggle to find tenants - 28th May 2008
Inside Housing - UK
The latest figures from the Empty Homes Agency show that between 2006 and 2007 the number of empty homes rose by nearly 10000 to 672924. ...
Rise in empty homes
Property People Magazine - Beckenham,UK
In the Netherlands the gap between need and demand is met by property guardian companies, who temporarily provide homes out of vacant property until their ...
Empty homes increase - 27th May 2008
MyFinances.co.uk - London,UK
There are now more empty homes in the UK, despite government initiative to stem the tide of idle homes. According to the Empty Homes Agency (EHA), ...
Green schemes a bright idea for landlords - 10th May 2008
Letting News - UK
At a recent UK Green Building Council 'Dragon's Den' event, the BPF joined forces with organisations such as Friends Of The Earth and the Empty Homes Agency ...
FMB: Empty homes are key to shortage - 2nd May 2008
AboutProperty.co.uk - London,UK
Britain's 700000 empty homes offer the solution to any housing shortage, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). While the government has ...
London's mayor: the money and the power ... and a few laughs along ... - 5th May 2008
Times Online - UK
The Empty Homes Agency welcomes Boris’s targets but says they are “challenging” 'What’s my view on drugs? I’ve forgotten my view on drugs' - Ditto 'As I ...
Evening Standard Diary - 25th May 2008
Man In The News
THE head of the Empty Homes Agency has unveiled the results of the charity's challenge to the mayoral candidates.
John Walsh: Tales of the City - 29th April 2008
Independent - London,England,UK
For guidance, I went to see the Empty Homes Agency at its London Bridge HQ. It is "an independent, campaigning charity" whose raison d'être is "to highlight ...
A tramp has acquired rights to a £4m plot of land. Could you? 17th April 2008
Times Online - UK
The property is worth an estimated £800000. The Empty Homes Agency campaigns to draw attention to the estimated 840000 unused or abandoned properties in the ...
Empty homes rise as demand falls - 14th April 2008
Introducer Today
The UK is suffering from an increased number of empty homes due to a drop in demand for rented accommodation in some parts of the country.
Daily Mail: Taxman made £440m from flood damage - 14th April 2008
Blog - By Webmaster
The Federation of Master Builders, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Empty Homes Agency are among the organisations that want a VAT cut. Brian Berry, the federation's director of external affairs, said: 'It is clearly wrong ...
The TaxPayers' Alliance - Media Coverage - http://tpa.typepad.com/media/
A Good Environment
Knoxville makes headway on conserving, and preserving, energy
By Matt Edens
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
FMB criticises treasury over flooding VAT - 8th April 2008
AboutProperty.co.uk - London,UK
... Surveyors (RICS), Empty Homes Agency and the National Home Improvement Council - for a reduction of the VAT on building repairs from 17.5 to five per cent.
Housing Policies: What To Think? - 2nd April 2008
Blog - By Dave Hill
The Empty Homes Agency today throws down the gauntlet to the contenders for the London mayoralty on empty homes. In an open letter to the candidates from the main parties, the EHA invites them to respond to its five-point London Empty ...
London: Mayor & More - http://davehill.typepad.com/london3ms/
Refurbished homes save
as much CO2 as new build
ENDS Report 398 / March 2008
Research commissioned by the Empty Homes Agency
has found that refurbishing energy-inefficient old
homes causes about the same lifetime CO2 emissions
as pulling them down and building anew.
Calls for VAT reduction welcomed - 25th March 2008
Residential Landlord - Dartford,UK
A recent report by the Empty Homes Agency (EHA) claimed that embodied carbon - the CO2 emitted as a direct result of constructing a new building - accounts ...
Less carbon with refurbishment - 25th March 2008
Property People Magazine - Beckenham,UK
Research published by the Empty Homes Agency (EHA) with support from the Building and Social Housing Foundation suggests that the advantages of older, ...
Further action urged on empty homes - buy to let mortgages - 25th March 2008
Mortgages for Business - London,UK
The FMB is one of several organisations campaigning for a VAT cut on renovation, with other bodies involved including the Empty Homes Agency and the Royal ...
Slowing market dents empty homes campaign - 20th March 2008
AboutProperty.co.uk - London,UK
... carbon-neutral homes by 2020, the Empty Homes Agency (EHA) argues a proportion of new supply could come from the re-occupation of existing property. ...
Property industry renews call for VAT cut on home refurbs - 19th March 2008
Contract Journal - UK
Empty Homes Agency’s (EHA) report ‘New Tricks With Old Bricks’ found housebuilding emits more than three times the amount of carbon dioxide than previously ...
Reusing old homes saves carbon, says report - 18th March 2008
Regen.net (subscription) - London,England,UK
A report by campaign body the Empty Homes Agency (EHA) has called for measures to facilitate the reuse of empty buildings in a bid to tackle climate change. ...
Call to drop VAT on repairs amid eco-concerns
The Architect's Journal - 18th March 2008
Fresh calls are being made on the government to ditch VAT on repairs and renovation to existing buildings, this time from the British Property Federation (BPF).
Demolishing old houses and building new adds to climate change - 17th March 2008
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
Researchers commissioned by the Government-funded Empty Homes Agency compared the amount of carbon dioxide given off in building new homes and in ...
Environmental benefits of refurbishing empty homes overlooked - 17th March 2008
Environmental Data Interactive - UK
This is the conclusion of research published this week by the independent campaign group the Empty Homes Agency. While a single-interest pressure group like ...
Building new green homes is not the answer - 17th March 2008
Green Building Press - Llandysul,Wales,UK
Buying or building a new eco home might not be as kind to the planet as we think, according to a report by the Empty Homes Agency. ...
Liverpool City Council accused of neglecting historic houses - 17th March 2008
Liverpool Daily Post - Liverpool,UK
The Empty Homes Agency, an independent charity, described the tale of how Prescot Road and Prescot Drive slid into a derelict state over a decade, ...
Home is where the heat is: why old can be good as new - 16th March 2008
The Observer - UK
The Empty Homes Agency compared three new-build homes with three refurbished ones and found very little difference between them in the amount of CO2 given ...
Older homes 'emit less carbon' - 14th March 2008
Times Online - UK
The report, compiled by the Empty Homes Agency with help from the Building and Social Housing Foundation, indicates that the embodied carbon - the carbon ...
Country living - no thanks? - 7th March 2008
Assetz News - Stockport,England,UK
The finding about empty homes will find plenty of supporters, not least among the Empty Homes Agency. Addressing the aforementioned Chartered Institute of ...
Public Split On Housing Policy - 7th March 2008
HotProperty.co.uk
Hope Lies In Empty Homes - 22 February 2008
Lorna Blackwood, The Times
...can housebuilders keep it up despite the market wobbles - and should they, when many thousands of homes lie empty?
Renovation Of Empty Homes "more Energy Efficient"
Start Again Finance - UK
Those undertaking mortgage comparisons who are looking for a more environmentally-friendly options may be interested in advice from the Empty Homes Agency. ...
Empty homes laws attacked
mform - UK
According to the Empty Homes Agency (EHA), "perverse" incentives are currently in place which mean landlords can leave properties unoccupied at little or no ...
New empty homes incentives urged - 23rd January 2008
Property News - London,England,UK
The amount of empty property in the UK can be reduced more easily if councils are given greater incentives by the government, the Empty Homes Agency (EHA) ...
Call for action on empty homes - 22nd January 2008
AboutProperty.co.uk - London,UK
The Empty Homes Agency (EHA) is calling for effective action on empty homes to be at the heart of government plans to reward local authorities for increases ...
Empty homes at the heart of housing grant - 22nd January 2008
24dash - Hereford,UK
The Empty Homes Agency (EHA) has called for effective action on empty homes to be at the heart of the Government’s plans to reward local authorities for ...
Housing - What is going on? - 10th January 2008
BBC Politics Show
With record housing waiting lists growing, we ask why 40,000 homes in the North East and Cumbria stand empty.
Movers: Henry Oliver, policy adviser, Empty Homes Agency - 9th January 2008
Third Sector (registration) - London,UK
Henry Oliver has taken up the role of policy adviser at the Empty Homes Agency, the charity that campaigns to bring empty homes back into use. ...