Empty Homes News

2008-06-26T06:54:00.001-07:00

The great ecotown land grab
guardian.co.uk - UK
Gordon adds that "there are at least 600000 empty homes in England", while "9% of commercial property in Britain is empty". The sums are tricky. ...

2008-06-24T06:54:00.000-07:00

Council sparks property sales to raise cash
Shields Gazette - South Shields,England,UK
West Park Lodge has been empty for about two years, and has been a regular target for vandals. Councillors in the ward have been pushing for the building to ...

How can 6500 homes be built?
BBC News - UK
There will also be a recommendation for more empty homes to be used. Q: What will the assembly government do to support the changes?

2008-06-23T06:56:00.000-07:00

Empty homes plan backed
nebusiness.co.uk - UK
But Sarah Fawcett, head of property and development at Housing Hartlepool, said many associations would struggle to find funding. ...

2008-06-21T06:57:00.001-07:00

Daughter forced apart from parents in housing Catch-22

Reading Chronicle - Reading,Berkshire,UK

“Developers and Registered Social Landlords built 4550 homes in Reading from 2001-2007, 42% of which were affordable. “He’s wrong about empty homes too. ...

Greens call for energy boost to empty homes

Yourcanterbury.co.uk - Canterbury,Kent,UK

There are currently about 25000 empty properties of all types across the county. These include 1922 unused homes in Ashford, 1395 in Canterbury, ...

2008-06-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

Daughter forced apart from parents in housing Catch-22
Reading Chronicle - Reading,Berkshire,UK
“Developers and Registered Social Landlords built 4550 homes in Reading from 2001-2007, 42% of which were affordable. “He’s wrong about empty homes too. ...

Greens call for energy boost to empty homes
Yourcanterbury.co.uk - Canterbury,Kent,UK
There are currently about 25000 empty properties of all types across the county. These include 1922 unused homes in Ashford, 1395 in Canterbury, ...

2008-06-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

Focus on property in Leeds
Times Online - UK
Unless you want an flat - more than 1000 are said to lie empty - there is little choice of property in Leeds city centre. Traffic is always heavy on ...

How Tees estate agents are boosting the property market
GazetteLive - Middlesbrough,UK
Building activity may now be slowing down but the availability of new builds has led to properties standing empty and producing no rental yield for owners. ...

2008-06-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

South Gloucestershire Council is taking action to tackle the issue ...
24dash - Hereford,UK
The council has just launched a new Empty Homes Strategy which proposes a series of measures to bring empty properties back into use. Empty homes can blight ...

Plight to fill empty shops
Maidenhead Advertiser - Maidenhead,England,UK
And with empty plots blighting the landscape the Royal Borough has now taken the unprecedented step of mailing all vacant property owners the contact ...

1.17m Number of property transactions in England and Wales in 2007 ...
guardian.co.uk - UK
You can also find out who owns empty properties that way. Register with websites such as upmystreet.com, where you can find useful local information such as ...

Building your own home
guardian.co.uk - UK
If you're struggling to find an empty plot, an alternative is to buy a wreck of a property, demolish it and start again with your dream home from scratch. ...

2008-06-18T07:01:00.000-07:00

Britain's social housing industry suggests £1bn spree on empty stock
Times Online - UK
The funds would be used to buy tens of thousands of mostly inner-city flats and family homes at a heavy discount from beleaguered housebuilders. ...

Smith's Wood is 'playground for criminals'
ic Solihull.co.uk - Solihull,UK
EMPTY homes in Smith's Wood have become a magnet for anti social behaviour according to the ward's newest councillor. Since he was elected last month, ...

Loughborough Councillor Slams Borough For Abandoning Plans For ...
Loughborough News - Loughborough,England,UK...
is declining and in a buyers' market it is an ideal time for Charnwood to team up with housing associations and buy up empty homes for needy families. ...

CARSBERG REVIEW REPORT – NALS IS THE SOLUTION FOR LETTINGS AND ...
By site admin
Approved and funded by Government, NALS was set up by RICS, NAEA and ARLA together with the Empty Homes Agency as an entry level standard for all lettings and management agents operating in the private rented sector. ...
LandlordZONE News » Press Releases - http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/blog

The upside of the downturn
guardian.co.uk - UK...
part of the "buy-to-leave-empty" scandal that will never make suitable homes for low income families now the property investors want out of the market. ...

2008-06-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

House where Lord Nelson planned Battle of Trafalgar for sale
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom...
the property, and named Victory, Trafalgar and Nelson. Langleigh House later lay empty for many years until it was occupied by squatters in the 1980s. ...

Vacant House 'Tax' Could Boost Derry Coffers
4ni.co.uk - UK
Mr Robinson - who is now NI First Minister - said that he planned to rate empty homes at 100% to encourage their use - as a potential boost for those ...

Council tax
guardian.co.uk - UK
For example, empty unfurnished properties can be exempt for up to six months, while properties that are uninhabitable or being renovated are exempt for up ...

2008-06-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

In with the old, out with the new, and whose asking the real ...
With the government push to build new homes, many of which are bound to further eat into this green and pleasant land, I was pleased to read this report by the Empty Homes Agency. Yes, they are partial, but they do demonstrate clearly ...
Leila's blog - http://leila.blogdns.net/index.cgi

2008-06-16T07:06:00.000-07:00

Families in a fix as the crunch gets worse
Times Online - UK
Caroline Flint, the Housing Minister, recently announced a £200 million fund to renovate empty homes. But Noble Frances, of the Construction Products ...

2008-06-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

Developer's cash to revamp homes
South Wales Argus – Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:20
Words matched: empty houses, empty homes, empty propertiesDeveloper's cash to revamp homes TWELVE empty houses in Newport could become homes again thanks to a large cash contribution from a developer ...

2008-06-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

squatters
By Iain(Iain)
But equally it seems a scandal that there are so many empty properties in London when there is so much need for housing. As the article says, 'The Empty Homes Agency campaigns to draw attention to the estimated 840000 unused or ...
Posted Notes - http://postednotes.blogspot.com/

Eco homes plan for Otley hospital site
Wharfedale and Airedale Observer - Ilkley,England,UK
"The site has been empty for several years and it was starting to get vandalised. The best way to deal with that is to get people living on it. ...

High earning families to lose council houses
The Mirror and 2 other sources – Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:23
The NLGN says there should be tougher action on the 600,000 empty homes in England and Wales. Councils should have the right to take over a...

2008-06-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

Turn The Hospital Into The Clinic
LoughboroughEcho.net - Loughborough,UK
Shut off, lifeless, just another empty building in an already struggling part of town. But with little interest shown from other parties, what should occupy ...

2008-06-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

2008-06-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

Kate Gordon: Eco-towns must support the character of the countryside
Yorkshire Post - Leeds,England,UK
... should consider other ways to meet housing needs, such as bringing back into use empty property and redeveloping or extending existing urban areas. ...

2008-06-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

Empty home is full of rodents and flies
Portsmouth News - Portsmouth,England,UK
By Elise Brewerton The owner of a run-down house faces a £40-a-day fine unless she spruces up her property. Neighbours living near the semi-detached ...

RESTAURANTS LINED UP FOR SLICE OF CITY PROPERTY
Express & Echo - Exeter,England,UK
John Kinsey, who represents commercial property firm King Sturge, said there was strong interest in the site, which has lain empty since Exeter Crown Court ...

2008-06-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Brown the builder
guardian.co.uk - UK
There are thousands of new build apartments ("flats" is an old fashioned word) lying empty in cities around the UK. The ones that do sell, often at auction, ...

Over 2500 empty homes
The Star - Sheffield,England,UK
By Ray Parkin MORE than 2500 privately-owned homes in Rotherham are standing empty, according to a new survey. The survey, carried out by Rotherham Council, ...

2008-06-06T07:27:00.001-07:00

Panorama got it wrong, says Accord Lets
Birmingham Post - Birmingham,West Midlands,UK
"Given the demand, no landlord should have an empty property." Keep up to date with the news. Receive our free E-Newsletters.

2008-06-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

Housing grants boost for most needy tenants
Dorset Echo - Dorchester,England,UK
If they let to tenants on the council's housing register, they could be rewarded with an Empty Homes Grant of up to £10000. Cllr Paul Johns, the council's ...

2008-06-04T04:10:00.000-07:00

Clean up this mess
Wigan Today - Wigan,England,UK
... Association has received several complaints from disgruntled Viscount Road residents who are fed up with the mess surrounding an empty property. ...

£2 SQATTERS GUIDE HAS TIPS ON BURGLARY
Daily Star - London,UK
Home-owners who try to remove squatters should be told: “You may receive a sentence of up to six months’ imprisonment and/ or a fine of up to £5000. ...

2008-06-02T04:15:00.000-07:00

Surprise at empty homes at £3m Blackburn project
Lancashire Telegraph - Blackburn,England,UK
By Tom Moseley A PROJECT manager of a £3million Blackburn housing estate which has failed to sell has admitted he is "surprised" it is still empty. ...

2008-05-29T04:29:00.000-07:00

Councillors launch bid to put people into vacant homes
Wood & Vale - London,England,UK
WESTMINSTER'S Labour councillors have launched Empty Homes Watch - a scheme to get vacant homes back into use. The move comes after the Wood&Vale revealed ...

2008-05-27T00:47:00.000-07:00

Flats for sale at £12500
NW Evening Mail - Barrow-in-Furness,England,UK
EIGHT empty tenement flats, for sale at a knock down price, are causing a flurry of interest among property developers across the country. ...

2008-05-24T00:50:00.000-07:00

A big beast of Irish property pulls in his horns
Irish Independent - Dublin,Ireland
It is difficult to quantify how many flats lie empty across the country, but the vacancy rates are believed to be high. The property website Daft.ie ...

Council targets empty properties
BBC – Sat, 24 May 2008
Council targets empty properties
Properties can be vandalised if they are left emptyA council has set a target of bringing one empty property ...

2008-05-23T00:54:00.000-07:00

Govt calls for more rented properties
Property News - London,England,UK
... homes needed. The committee also calls for tighter tax measures to prevent investors in the private rented sector from leaving properties empty for long ...

Government must tackle social housing shortage 'head on'
24dash - Hereford,UK
On the other, we have more and more people snapping up homes simply to leave them empty and make a profit. “The situation is now so serious that the ...

MPs WANT FREEDOM FOR COUNCILS TO CREATE MORE HOMES FOR RENT
PublicNet - Westcliff-on-Sea,Essex,UK
Local authorities should be able to build on land that they own and to reinvest the money raised through the sale of council houses in new homes according ...

50000 new homes needed for renting
The Press Association -
In a report, the committee also called for action to ensure that council and housing association homes are spread throughout communities, ...

Proposal to raise rates on empty houses
Belfast Newsletter - Belfast,UK
Mr Robinson launched the consultation paper yesterday, seeking views on rating empty homes at 100 per cent liability. "A fundamental aim is to encourage ...

2008-05-23T00:53:00.000-07:00

50000 more rented homes needed
MyFinances.co.uk - London,UK
Again the committee would like to see tax measures to discourage property owners from leaving properties empty for long periods, in order to bolster supply. ...

MPs urge more rented housing
Property Week News - London,England,UK
The committee wants tax measures to discourage property owners from leaving properties empty for long periods, and questions taxes on developments of social ...

2008-05-22T01:12:00.000-07:00

MPs Back Federation of Master Builders' Call for VAT Cut
Federation of Master Builders – Thu, 22 May 2008
...regenerative effect on the street and the wider neighbourhood of reusing empty property can be striking. Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs...

Northern Ireland: Have your say
BBC News Northern Ireland – Thu, 22 May 2008
Rosy Billingham reported on plans to make use of empty houses in Northern Ireland for social housing. In the studio Jim Fitzpatrick ...

2008-05-21T00:56:00.000-07:00

Empty homes can alleviate housing problem claims RICS
Residential Landlord - Dartford,UK
RICS Policy Officer, James Rowlands said: “With over 663000 empty homes estimated in England, it is essential the Government bring these properties back ...

MPs call for tax measures to tackle empty homes
Regen.net (subscription) - London,England,UK
The “buy-to-leave” trend – where homes are left empty simply to earn money through capital appreciation – is particular evident in places like Leeds, ...

2008-05-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

MPs to call for big increase in number of rented homes
guardian.co.uk - UK
... with incentives for private firms to offer long lets and a crackdown on landlords who do not maintain property or leave homes empty for long periods. ...

2008-05-18T02:27:00.000-07:00

Editor-At-Large: Eco-towns are just vandalism dressed up in a ...
Independent - London,England,UK
More importantly, 16000 homes sit empty in the city, where the council has been turning disused textile factories into residential units. ...

2008-05-17T02:29:00.000-07:00

Rics calls on govt to act over empty homes
Estate Angels - London,UK
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) wants the government to do more to bring empty homes back onto the market. ...

Hermione Eyre: Cool title, but what does it mean?
Independent - London,England,UK
And empty homes can now be much more efficiently requisitioned for rebuilding, thanks to recent policy changes. Good news, certainly, but I did not feel ...

Homes index system goes through roof
Edinburgh Evening News - Edinburgh,Scotland,UK
... which has helped to increase demand for all properties, including difficult to let ones, and led to a reduction in the number of long-term empty homes. ...

2008-05-16T02:32:00.000-07:00

GROUP TO FILL EMPTY SPACES
Express & Echo - Exeter,England,UK
Mr Morris said when developers moved into the property, the workshop would simply move on to a new empty building. He said: " In this way, ...

Renovation A - Z Weekend - National Self Build & Renovation Centre ...
Newswire Today (press release) - London,UK
Whether you are looking to get on to the property ladder, move up it or make a profit from property, chances are you will have to tackle some home ...

2008-05-15T04:33:00.000-07:00

Three new rights to right local wrongs - new Community Empowerment Bill to harness petition power
CLG - Communities & Local Government

2008-05-14T02:39:00.000-07:00

Brown pledges ￡200m to buy empty homes
Inside Housing - UK
By Tom Lloyd The government is to give ￡200 million to the Housing Corporation to buy developers' hard-to-shift homes in a bid to prop up the struggling ...

DO THEY REALLY EXPECT PEOPLE TO LIVE LIKE THIS?
Wirral Globe
The bricks from a destroyed wall block an entire alleyway. Scorch marks scar the sides of burnt out houses. Windows stand open without panes or boards, the ceilings inside, upstairs and down, gaping with wrenched holes.

2008-05-13T04:30:00.000-07:00

Ministers' Housing Fears Revealed
BBC
UK house prices could fall "at best" by 5-10% this year, according to secret Cabinet briefing notes accidentally revealed by a housing minister.

2008-05-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

£876k grant boost to improve private houses
York Press - York,UK
It is for up to 75 per cent of the cost of the works that will make the empty property meet the decency standard as determined by the council. ...

WALTHAM FOREST: Target set for more new social homes
Epping Forest Guardian - UK
Targetting empty properties in the borough was highlighted as a priority, with Cllr Pye announcing that 800 empty homes have been brought back to the ...

2008-05-09T04:52:00.000-07:00

Thousands in Leeds left out of pocket by the buy-to-let crash
Times Online - UK
A recent riverside development of 50 flats — each with an agreed buyer who had paid a 10 per cent deposit of £20000 — is empty because every purchaser has ...

Half a million empty homes in Portugal
Portugal News - Lagoa,Algarve,Portugal
Various situations have given rise to the number of empty houses, such as housing available for sale or rental and houses to be demolished. ...

The credit crunch has hit buy-to-let investors, but only up to a point
Times Online - UK
There will also be renovation of the capital's 84205 empty homes, less building on back gardens, more preservation of historic views and more ...

Convicted lottery winner 'must renovate house'
Telegraph.co.uk - United KingdomMichael Carroll, 25, who scooped a £9.7 million jackpot in 2002, has been told that officials may use new legislation to take control of the empty property ...

2008-05-08T04:54:00.000-07:00

Optimism follows Johnson victory
Property Industry News - London,England,UK
It also set out aims to bring 84000 empty homes back into use and spend £130 million helping first-time buyers onto the housing ladder. ...

Lotto winner plans to revamp home
Norfolk Eastern Daily Press - Norwich,England,UK
The council also said that much trumpeted powers to force owners of empty homes make properties liveable in again could in reality take years to implement. ...

2008-05-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

Boris faces 'property reality test'
MyFinances.co.uk - London,UK
Mr Johnson has also expressed a desire to invest £60 million from the Regional Housing Pot to start renovating the capital's 84205 empty properties – a move ...

2008-05-05T02:37:00.000-07:00

When work begins for Mayor Johnson
BBC News - UK
He also wants to invest millions of pounds in renovating more than 80000 empty properties in the capital to get low-income people off housing waiting lists. ...

Real need on homes 'ignored in pursuit of targets'
Yorkshire Post - Leeds,England,UK
Ministers are also accused of not doing enough to bring back into use some of the 672924 empty homes, while there are claims Whitehall's obsession with ...

2008-05-03T02:38:00.000-07:00

AM, Sat 3rd May - How will the new London Mayor effect the ...
Landlord Expert - London,UK
Johnson concentrates on quality, first-time buyers and renovation of the Capital’s 84205 empty properties. He believes in incentivising boroughs to release ...

2008-05-02T02:39:00.000-07:00

Govt needs to focus on empty homes
Houseladder - Kingston upon Thames,England,UK
The government needs to look at bringing empty homes back into use if it is to meet its housing targets. The government needs to look at bringing empty ...

Fresh anger over Felixstowe homes
Ipswich Evening Star - Ipswich,England,UK
The opposition from the Felixstowe Society has been backed by the Suffolk Preservation Society (SPS), which believes there could be up to 1000 empty homes ...

2008-05-01T02:42:00.000-07:00

No interest in Moot Hall
Daventry Express - Daventry,England,UK
By Steve Mills ONE of Daventry's most important landmark buildings remains empty with seemingly no-one interested in taking it over. ...

2008-04-29T02:42:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-27T02:46:00.000-07:00

'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 ...

2008-04-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-25T02:49:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-23T02:50:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-22T02:53:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-22T02:35:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-19T02:53:00.000-07:00

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. ...

2008-04-18T03:37:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-17T05:12:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-17T04:00:00.001-07:00

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. ...

2008-04-14T05:18:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-11T08:10:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-10T01:35:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-09T01:38:00.001-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-09T01:38:00.000-07:00

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, ...

2008-04-09T01:36:00.000-07:00

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."

2008-04-08T01:39:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-07T01:41:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-06T01:42:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-05T01:43:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-04-04T01:45:00.000-07:00

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, ...

2008-04-04T01:44:00.000-07:00

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? ...

2008-04-03T01:46:00.000-07:00

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, ...

2008-03-31T01:49:00.000-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-29T01:50:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-29T01:49:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-29T01:48:00.000-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-28T01:51:00.000-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-27T01:53:00.000-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-26T04:23:00.001-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-26T04:23:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-25T04:21:00.000-07:00

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, ...

2008-03-25T04:19:00.001-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-25T04:19:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-24T04:18:00.000-07:00

The MoD home left empty for 11 years
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 ...

2008-03-22T04:16:00.000-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-22T04:15:00.000-07:00

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/

2008-03-22T04:14:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-20T04:04:00.001-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-20T03:40:00.001-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-20T03:38:00.000-07:00

'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 ...

2008-03-19T03:40:00.000-07:00

2008-03-19T03:06:00.001-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-17T04:15:00.001-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-17T04:14:00.001-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-15T04:15:00.000-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-14T03:59:00.000-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-13T03:23:00.000-07:00

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. ...

2008-03-10T03:24:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2008-03-08T03:25:00.000-08:00

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 ...

2008-03-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

2008-03-07T03:25:00.000-08:00

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 ...

2008-03-06T03:26:00.000-08:00

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 ...

2008-03-05T03:27:00.000-08:00

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 ...

2008-03-04T03:28:00.000-08:00

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 ...