Latest Empty Property News 2008
April 2008
Council launches new strategy to target empty homes
24dash - Hereford,UK
The council encourages owners of empty properties to consider living in the property, renting it out, leasing the property through a letting agent or ...
Spanish house price growth may fall further-ministryguardian.co.uk - UKThe ministry said there was a stock of at least 500000 or 600000 new homes standing empty in Spain. The Socialist government, reelected to a second term in ...
'Estate agents' offer empty homes for squat
Daily Mail - UK
On the agency's 'books' are scores of former pubs, abandoned flats and houses, derelict council properties and empty buildings owned by Government ...
Bringing empty houses back into use
Bourne Local - Bourne,England,UK
By Staff Copy Property owners with empty houses in a poor state of repair may be eligible for grants of up to £3000 thanks to South Kesteven District ...
Capital facing housing shortfall
BBC News - UK
"Over the last two years we have plugged the gap through leasing over 1000 empty properties from private property owners for temporary accommodation," he ...
Homes boost for city
Norwich Evening News - Norwich,England,UK
In March last year it took an average of 69 days to bring empty homes up to standard, but last month it took an average of just 22 days, officers at Norwich ...
Down with the cult of home ownership
Guardian - UK
Bringing empty buildings into use as homes and getting existing homes into a decent state of repair to rent may be a less sexy policy than a bidding war on ...
Housing remains a key issue in the London mayoral electionsProperty People Magazine - Beckenham,UKReducing the number of empty homes to a 2.5 per cent vacancy rate, and supporting enforcement measures including compulsory purchase where home owners are ...
`Serious drugs den` found by Kells property holder
Meath Chronicle - Meath,Ireland
Some 20 Maudlin Street properties were empty and there were now 48 derelict buildings around Kells, said Colr Brian Curran. Some 36 businesses had closed in ...
Hope can conquer fear
Guardian - UK
There are 83580 empty homes in London: they need to be brought back into use to provide more affordable housing. And we need to release surplus ...
Bid to put new life into empty homes
Burton Mail - Burton on Trent,England,UK
The problem has become so bad that South Derbyshire has the highest proportion of empty homes in the county - 2.72 per cent of the entire housing stock. ...
Credit fall out lands on buy-to-let
Sunday Herald - Glasgow,Scotland,UK
... for handing over their property to a council for three, four or five years, landlords get a guaranteed monthly rent - even if their property is empty. ...
Bid to put new life into empty homes
Burton Mail - Burton on Trent,England,UK
The problem has become so bad that South Derbyshire has the highest proportion of empty homes in the county - 2.72 per cent of the entire housing stock. ...
Wales’ eco targets impact on affordable homes
ic Wales - United Kingdom
Since then there have been a number of proposed schemes for the site, including one involving 1100 homes. But it remains empty. The director said: “Some ...
One UK home in 10 'to fall into negative
Times Online - UK
Contrary to the popular myth there is no shortage of housing; a huge quantity of property remains empty as owners waited for the top of the market which has ...
Two ready-made sites for homes
Oxford Mail - Oxford,England,UK
This site must have been empty, or at least not used to its full potential, for some 15 to 20 years since the Americans left. If there is this desperate ...
Council set to buy 15 'eyesore' homes
Hornsey and Crouch End Journal - London,England,UK
HARINGEY Council is to forcibly take over 15 empty homes and sell them off at auction. a year and their private owners have amassed debts to the council. ...
Empty homes problem caused by increase in buy-to-leave
Choices - Sutton,Surrey,UK
Mr Oliver said that, amidst the current market slowdown, many property investors were finding that they could not make the return that they had expected. ...
Empty homes rise as demand falls
Introducer Today - Beckenham,England,UK
That is according to the Empty Homes Agency, which said that some buy-to-let property investors have left their houses empty because they cannot rent them ...
Plan to use 1800 empty homesNews Wales - Knighton,UKAn empty homes officer will work for an initial three years to tackle the problem of empty properties in the first partnership of its kind in North Wales ...
Don’t create NIMBY charter says BPF
Property People Magazine - Beckenham,UK
These include the selective licensing and empty property management orders brought in via the 2004 Housing Act and longer term powers of compulsory purchase ...
I Want A Home, Not A Place To Park The Mercedes
Glasgow Daily Record - Glasgow,Scotland,UK
"I've been waiting for months for a home and this building lies empty." The building - formerly used as a homeless hostel by Scottish Borders Council - has ...
Constructive thinking
Guardian - UK
Empty homes, second homes, the boom in badly managed buy-to-let properties, sky-high mortgage debt, the sudden decline of housing markets in some northern ...
Homes under the hammer
ic Wales - United Kingdom
As part of a proactive campaign by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s public health and protection Team to tackle empty properties in the Maerdy area, ...
Grants to be given to new buyers
Estate Angels - London,UK
... house building levels by ensuring more land becomes available for development, empty homes are brought back into use and more family homes are built."
New legislation a 'minefield'
Peterborough Today - Peterborough,England,UK
"By penalising owners of empty property, there should be an increase in the supply of premises to let. "However, property owners trading on the margins of ...
Could Your Rent Drop? - Empty Property Relief Changes
Bizhelp 24 - Sheffield,UK
Changes to the out of date system of reliefs have removed perverse incentives to keep buildings empty, and encourage owners to bring them back into use, ...
Flint announces grants for first-time buyers
Politics.co.uk - London,UK
It is also argued empty homes should be brought back into use and more family homes be built. The government has outlined plans to build two million new ...
Neglected homes to be taken over
The Argus.co.uk - Brighton,UK
"Our empty property strategy is based on three stages - identify, encourage and enforce. "We always aim to work with the owners of empty properties but we ...
Greener and greener?
Assetz News - Stockport,England,UK
... herring" and argued that the emphasis should instead be placed on green extensions to existing populated areas and the redevelopment of empty homes. ...
Filling up the empty homes
News Guardian - North Tyneside,England,UK
By DAVID SEDGWICK A STRATEGY is being drawn up to try and reduce the number of empty homes there are in the borough. Figures show that there were 2480 empty ...
Labour MPs' fury over homes crisis
Guardian - UK
It urges councils to buy up the empty homes, allowing former owners to stay under their own roof as council tenants and helping councils expand housing ...
Gimme shelter
The Observer - UK
Councils, he says, should exercise their compulsory purchase powers to bring more empty homes back into use and - in common with Johnson - he identifies ...
Empty commercial buildings lose relief from rates
Norwich Union Risk Services - Birmingham,England,UK
According to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) empty property relief last year cost £1.3 billion. "It is not right that empty ...
Still not convinced on eco towns
Property People Magazine - Beckenham,UK
“Building brand new eco towns outside existing settlements is really a bad idea when there are 675000 empty homes in England alone sitting empty, ...
Peterborough uses new powers to bring empty home back to life
24dash - Hereford,UK
A property has been given a new lease of life thanks to Peterborough City Council after originally being left empty for more than six months. ...
Now there will be 17 takeaways in one Farnworth street
Bolton News - Bolton,England,UK
Cllr Andy Morgan added: "It's good to see an empty property being taken on. Otherwise do we let it stay empty and bring the area down further? ...
Fifteen provisional eco town locations announced
Green Building Press - Llandysul,Wales,UK
“Building brand new eco–towns outside existing settlements is a really bad idea when there are 675000 empty homes in England alone sitting empty, ...
March 2008
Improvement for Sale initiative to bring Birmingham's empty ...
24dash - Hereford,UK
"Empty homes are a wasted resource and we are committed to offer residents better homes in better neighbourhoods where people will choose to live. ...
Empty homes brought back to life
Norwich Evening News - Norwich,England,UK
Mark Siddall, sub-regional empty homes project officer at the city council, said: “Two of the properties have been empty for 20 years, but we are targeting ...
House of pain
York Press - York,UK
EDMOs are a tool to bring back empty property into use. The owner does not lose the property and the rent paid during the seven years the order lasts pays ...
Empty buildings face rate rise
York Press - York,UK
One notorious empty property in York is the White Swan Hotel, in Piccadilly, which has remained closed and boarded up for more than 25 years. ...
Less homes needed - experts claim
Ipswich Evening Star - Ipswich,England,UK
The group says there is an estimated 8000 empty homes in Suffolk, which could be used to address the issue of over development. ...
Time to tackle property blight
York Press - York,UK
Ruth Abbott, the city council's housing standards and adaptations manager, said that in April last year there were 585 empty homes in York. ...
Cash boost for homes
The Star - Sheffield,England,UK
The council is also considering allocating funding to try to encourage private property owners to bring empty homes back into use. ,500 long term empty ...
FMB: Cut VAT on empty buildings
AboutProperty.co.uk - London,UK
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has welcomed government reforms of empty property rates, but argues measures must go further to ensure buildings ...
FMB in renovation tax cut call
Property News - London,England,UK
Responding to an announcement by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) of reforms to empty homes relief to be introduced next month, ...
Shelter urges more action on Empty Dwelling orders
Finance Markets - Menstrie,Scotland,UK
By applying for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO), councils in England and Wales can take control of a private property for up to seven years. ...
How boom quickly converted to bust
Guardian - UK
As the crisis in the banking markets swept across America and the UK with renewed ferocity last week, a viewing revealed empty flat after empty flat on sale ...
The MoD home left empty for 11 years - 24th March 2008
BBC News - UK
But the property has been empty for more than 4278 days. That means the MoD has been paying rent, council tax and maintenance for more than 11 years and ...
Cash boost call for empty homes
BBC News - UK
EDMOs allow councils in England and Wales to take control of a private property for up to seven years if it has been empty for at least six months. ...
New build or refurb?
By Dave(Peter)
"the carbon impact of the government's new homes target could be cut by 10 million tonnes if part of it was met by reusing and upgrading England's 288000 long-term empty homes." Sounds like a pretty reasonable win-win situation to me, ...
Junkk Male RE:View - a 'Best... - http://junkk.blogspot.com/
New Tricks With Old Bricks
By keithsc
This report from the Empty Homes agency makes a convincing case that knocking down old homes and building new well-insulated homes is not as green as previously claimed. There is hope for my 1900 house yet!
The Coffee House - http://environmentdebate.wordpress.com
Action on empty homes blight
Yorkshire Post - Leeds,England,UK
In some cases it could result in the compulsory purchase of empty homes deemed to be causing a problem for neighbours. A new study, which will be presented ...
The wannabe property tycoons now burned by buy-to-let
Daily Mail - UK
But countless other new-build apartments stand empty across Britain's crane-filled urban skylines. Meanwhile, a host of inexperienced investor landlords ...
'On the shop floor with.......Poundland's Jim McCarthy
Retail Bulletin - Croydon,UK
“Landlords are being more realistic as there is an amount of empty property and companies are going under. Landlords are increasingly recognising the value ...
The wannabe property tycoons now burned by buy-to-let
Daily Mail - UK
But countless other new-build apartments stand empty across Britain's crane-filled urban skylines. Meanwhile, a host of inexperienced investor landlords ...
We told you so
By Ian Milliss
In a report that has got a bit of coverage in the UK (here, here, and here) the Empty Homes Agency has done research to show that reusing existing buildings is greener than building new “green” buildings. ...
Johnson makes new homes pledge
The Press Association -
A £130 million scheme to help low-paid Londoners get on the housing ladder and plans to bring more than 84000 empty homes back into use will also be ...
Empty homes review – ‘thanks to Lib Dems
Reading Evening Post - Reading,England,UK
The Lib Dems are claiming credit for a major review to get something done about the empty homes across the borough. Councillor Gareth Epps, Parliamentary ...
Tarek Merlin - 14th March 2008
Theatre Delicatessen offers a rare and brave example of how to put the interiors of derelict buildings to good use. Tarek Merlin explains why we should all follow suit
Sale refuels second home debate
BBC News - UK
... the property's "mesmerising" views over Porthmeor Beach and St Ives Bay. But many local people fear the house will remain empty for most of the year. ...
Birmingham unveils housing plan
Midlands Housing - UK
... of increasing the amount of new affordable homes provided each year and making better use of existing stock by bringing more empty homes back into use. ...
Older homes 'emit less carbon'
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 ...
House leaks for 3 months
ic SouthLondon.co.uk - United Kingdom
... a statement was issued that said: "Lewisham council has for a long time been concerned about the number of homes left to stand empty in the borough. ...
Rics: CPRE pander to the vested interests
AboutProperty.co.uk - London,UK
"Bringing empty homes back into use and building on brownfield sites should be the first step in meeting this challenge, sensible, well managed development ...
Survey finds over half oppose government housing plans
InTheNews.co.uk - London,UK
"While bringing empty homes back into use and building on brownfield sites should be the first step in meeting this challenge, sensible, well managed ...
Slashing tax discount on empty homes could raise £1m
Halifax Evening Courier - UK
By Michael Peel SLASHING the council tax discount on the 2500 empty homes in Calderdale could raise a one-off sum of about £1 million. ...
Public split on housing policy
Property News - London,England,UK
However, over three quarters (77 per cent) argued that more should be done to bring empty homes back into use, with half wanting this linked to more ...
Public oppose Government house-building plans
Daelnet - Skipton,England,UK
... 46% think it would damage community life; and a massive 77% believe more to be done to bring the nation’s 700000 empty homes back into use. ...
Slashing tax discount on empty homes could raise £1m
Halifax Evening Courier - UK
By Michael Peel SLASHING the council tax discount on the 2500 empty homes in Calderdale could raise a one-off sum of about £1 million. ...
Public split on housing policy
Property News - London,England,UK
However, over three quarters (77 per cent) argued that more should be done to bring empty homes back into use, with half wanting this linked to more ...
Public oppose Government house-building plans
Daelnet - Skipton,England,UK
... 46% think it would damage community life; and a massive 77% believe more to be done to bring the nation’s 700000 empty homes back into use. ...
Alistair Darling's Budget will be bad for small business
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
Landlords are also coming to terms with changes to empty property relief, which exempted vacant industrial premises from business rates and reduce the rate ...
Three million new homes plan 'not winning public support'
24dash - Hereford,UK
We have given councils tough new powers on empty properties. "Those who oppose more homes need to recognise the deeply unfair consequences for first time ...
Property owners' last ditch effort on ‘ill-conceived’ budget plan
Property Week News - London,England,UK
Property owners have made a last ditch effort today to make Alistair Darling shelve the abolition of rate relief on empty property. ...
Oldham changes Council tax rules for empty properties
eGov monitor - London,UK
With effect from 1 April 2008 the 50 per cent reduction in council tax charge for empty property will no longer apply. The six month free period will still ...
Empty MoD homes 'cost millions'BBC News - UKThe MoD says it knows there are too many empty homes and is "actively on the case". Officials maintain they are trying to match the numbers of houses to the ...
‘Scandal’ over empty homes
Dunmow Broadcast - Stevenage,England,UK
LibDem group leader Cllr Peter Wilcock said: "We need to bring these empty homes back into use. It's a scandal that hundreds of properties are lying empty, ...
BSIA publishes vacant property protection Code of Practice
Info4Security - London,England,UK
At any one time there are a considerable number of vacant properties throughout the country and, without adequate protection, these premises can be subject ...
How to hold on to your home
Times Online - UK
... a far better price will be achieved if househunters see a cheerful, furnished home rather than an empty property on sale through an auction house. ...
Developers warn of a roofless response to new rules on rates
Times Online - UK
However, from April 6, industrial property owners will obtain 100 per cent relief for only the first six months that a building is vacant. All other empty ...
‘THEY SOLD MY HOME’ BOMBSHELL
Camden New Journal - London,UK
A council spokeswoman later added: “Fifty-seven Rochester Road was an empty property. The former tenant of the property was definitely not expecting to ...
Number of empty homes fall by 200
Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph - Kettering,England,UK
By Sarah Ward THE efforts of a council to reduce the waiting list for homes has taken a big step forward after the number of empty homes on its books hit a ...
Slums seized for new homes
Manchester Evening News - Manchester,England,UK
In the 14 years it has been empty, the property has been used as a crack den and a hiding place for stolen goods, become a haven for pigeons and been set on ...
Firm warns on new rates law
Liverpool Echo - UK
The Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007 comes into force from April 1. It means commercial property owners who currently enjoy a 50% reduction on business ...
Derelict homes back on the market
Portsmouth News - Portsmouth,England,UK
RUN-DOWN empty homes have been spruced up and made fit for living thanks to a council initiative. Two houses in Horndean which have been empty for decades ...
The Big Question: Should the Government be cracking down on people ...
Independent - London,England,UK
So young couples move out of the village, and the homes that they would have occupied are left empty for much of the year. Schools close, because there are ...
'Why build homes when 1480 are unoccupied?'
Kent Online - United Kingdom
Cllr Doe insisted: "Significant progress has been made in Medway to bring empty homes back into use." He said some properties might be awaiting renovation ...
Empty properties could have community use
Huddersfield Examiner - Huddersfield,UK
RESIDENTS on a Huddersfield estate are hoping a pair of empty homes can be given a new lease of life as a community centre. Kirklees Council held a public ...
Call for crackdown on landlords with flats empty for six months
Edinburgh Evening News - Edinburgh,Scotland,UK
Edinburgh currently has the highest number of private sector empty homes in Scotland, according to the most recent figures available. ...