Empty homes are on the rise. So why aren't they being used to solve the housing shortage?

In England, the number of empty homes is rising, and many people are asking why these houses are not being used to help solve the housing shortage. The story of Corina Poore shows how things have changed over the years. In 1980, Corina was 36 years old and pregnant when she found a derelict house in New Cross Gate, south-east London. The house was in terrible condition, with dead animals, dirty mattresses, and no indoor toilet. Despite the mess, Corina saw potential in the house. She bought it for £24,000 and received a grant from the local council to help fix the ceiling. Today, her four-storey Victorian home is worth about £1 million, something she could never have afforded without the help she received.

Lewisham Council still offers grants to owners of empty homes, sometimes up to £20,000, but very few people take advantage of these offers. In the last five years, only 22 grants were given out, even though there are more than 2,200 empty homes in the area. Across England, there are nearly 720,000 empty homes, and about 265,000 of them have been vacant for more than six months. These long-term empty homes can cause problems for neighborhoods, attracting crime and lowering property values.

The government used to have programs to help bring empty homes back into use, like the Empty Homes Programme and the New Homes Bonus scheme. These programs helped reduce the number of empty homes, but they ended in 2016. Since then, the number of empty homes has started to rise again. Councils now have to deal with the problem on their own, and their approaches vary widely. Some councils offer grants or loans, but the uptake is low. Others have tried creative solutions, like connecting private investors with homeowners. Most councils charge higher council tax rates on long-term empty homes, but this can sometimes discourage owners from working with the council.

There are many reasons why homes stay empty. Sometimes, it takes years to sell a house after someone dies because of the probate system. Other times, councils cannot find the owners of empty homes. There is also a lack of good data about why homes are empty, which makes it hard for councils to address the problem. Some experts think the government should require councils to take action on empty homes and give them more power to do so.

The housing crisis in England is serious, with at least 354,000 people believed to be homeless and more than 1. 3 million households on social housing waiting lists. Many people cannot afford to buy homes because prices are so high. Using empty homes could help, but there is no simple solution. Some experts suggest offering tax relief to buyers or using the money from higher council tax rates to fund loan schemes. Others think councils should not be allowed to charge higher taxes unless they have a plan to deal with empty homes.

Corina Poore believes that fixing up empty homes is still a good idea, especially for young people who want to buy a house. She thinks many empty homes only need small repairs and that more people should be encouraged to make them livable. The government says it is determined to fix the housing crisis and will give councils more power to manage empty homes. Whether these changes will make a difference remains to be seen, but the issue of empty homes is an important part of the debate about housing in England.