Empty Homes

An empty home is a wasted resource both for the owner who could otherwise make financial gains by letting or selling the property, and for those who are in need of housing. In addition, empty homes can have strong negative impacts both on residents living in the neighbouring vicinity and the wider community.

Property owners should generally be free to decide how their property is used. However, this fundamental right needs to be balanced against the rights of others living in the community in which the property is located. In ensuring a reasonable balance is struck, there is a legitimate public interest in ensuring empty homes do not have an undue impact on the local community, and where they do there is a reasonable prospect that the matter will be resolved.

Our strategy for dealing with empty homes is to encourage responsible ownership through a variety of methods:

Free advice and information to owners on options available

• Advice to prospective Landlords
• Grant assistance to repair or improve empty homes
• Enforcement action, where appropriate, on problem properties

In recent legislation the Government proposes that Local Councils use Empty Dwelling Management Orders to enable them to take over the management of an empty property.

Contact Details

To report an empty home or for more information contact:

Kirstie May-Jones
Property Standards Officer
Telephone: 01386 565352 between 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday
Email kirstie.may-jones@wychavon.gov.uk

or download our advice leaflets

Relevant Forms & Publications

• Empty Homes Leaflet  (3.40 MB)
• Empty Dwelling Management Orders  (1.07 MB) (Guidance for residential property owners on new powers availble to local councils)