Only 38% of councils have an empty homes strategy and just 41% have a dedicated officer in post, according to research by Propertymark - the professional membership body for property agents. With over 359,000 homes sitting vacant for more than six months across the UK, Propertymark is calling on the government to fund an empty homes officer in every local authority.
Why are so many homes still sitting empty?
The core problem, according to Propertymark, is a lack of local capacity. Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, said the issue comes down to resources: "Too many local authorities lack the dedicated resources, funding and strategic framework needed to deliver meaningful change."
Douglas made clear that penalties alone will not fix it. "Financial penalties alone will not solve the problem. What works is sustained local engagement, professional advice, and properly funded empty homes teams that can support owners through the process of bringing properties back into use."
Propertymark published a detailed paper called 'Tackling Empty Properties', which sets out a package of reforms. The body wants every local authority to hold a clear strategy, a property database, and a dedicated budget for empty homes work. It also calls for collaboration with communities and the third sector to address the root causes of vacancy.
What does Propertymark want to change?
The Propertymark paper calls on governments and local authorities to take several steps. These include: targeted regeneration investment in areas with high concentrations of long-term empty homes; reform of business rates to encourage reuse of commercial property; and an extension of the Welsh Empty Homes Grant Scheme to private landlords.
The body also called for reforms to Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs - a legal mechanism that allows councils to take over management of a persistently empty property) to allow earlier intervention. Propertymark wants qualified property agents to be consulted as part of that process to help speed up the return of stock to the market.
If you want to understand how these policy shifts could affect your property investment strategy, this is a good moment to map your local council's current approach.
What does this mean for SA operators?
If you run SA (serviced accommodation) properties, empty homes policy sits closer to your business than it might appear. Councils with active empty homes teams look at occupancy data. A property sitting dark for weeks between bookings can look different from an owner-occupied home to an algorithm or an officer with a target.
More broadly, when long-term empties are brought back into use as long-term rentals, they reduce the housing pressure that pushes guests toward short-term let platforms instead. That can dampen guest demand in some markets. In tight city markets, the opposite is also possible: fewer empty properties means fewer potential new SA conversions entering your competition.
Use the free resources at Property Filter to track what is happening in your target area. And if you are assessing the financial viability of an SA unit, the stress test calculator can help you model occupancy assumptions against likely rate changes. For operators actively sourcing new SA deals, councils bringing empty stock back to market could create acquisition opportunities worth watching.
Key takeaways
359,000 homes have been empty for more than six months across the UK, according to Propertymark research
Only 38% of councils have an empty homes strategy in place, per Propertymark's paper 'Tackling Empty Properties'
Only 41% of councils have a dedicated empty homes officer
Propertymark calls for every local authority to receive dedicated government funding for an empty homes officer
Reforms to Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) are proposed to allow earlier council intervention on vacant properties
