The UK’s empty property crisis
A new survey has brought into sharp focus the extent of the UK’s ongoing empty building crisis. There is a clear majority of respondents to a new survey on the matter. They feel that better use of empty buildings is key to solving the UK’s housing shortage.
Over a third of UK adults say their local area suffers from an excess of empty or derelict properties. People are calling on the government to do more to tackle the issue, new research from Market Financial Solutions (https://www.mfsuk.com) has revealed.
As a result of this, the specialist lender commissioned an independent survey of 2,000 UK adults. 58% have seen a rise in the number of empty or derelict commercial properties on their local high street. While 25% say there has been an increase in the number of empty or derelict houses on their street in the last 5 years.
Over 34% feel that their local area suffers from there being too many run-down, empty or derelict properties.
The UK’s empty property crisis
MFS’s research found that 67% of UK adults would like to see the government do more. Obviously this will incentivise people to buy and renovate empty properties.
Firstly 61% think there should be stricter regulations to clamp down on people leaving properties vacant. Secondly 51% are in favour of new rules to make landlords sell properties if they have been empty for more than 12 months.
Finally, 63% of respondents believe that returning empty buildings onto the property market would be the most effective way to solve the UK’s housing shortage.
What’s the position in Harlow?
When it comes to Harlow, it is very difficult to actually get accurate figures. All of the research that has been done has been a nationwide commission.
However, Jukes Estate Agents Harlow have investigated and have come up with the following:
The most recent government statistics, released in November 2023, showed there were 261,189 long-term empty properties in England. That figure represents a rise of 12,556 homes compared to 2022, up 5% annually and 16% since before the pandemic in 2019.
216,189! Let that sink in!
Jukes Estate Agents co owner Geoff Flewers isn’t happy! “This figure released by https://www.bigissue.com/ is scandalous”! “We have done the best we can to find out what that means to Harlow and if our findings are correct, it’s mind blowing”! he said.
HARLOW FIGURES FOR EMPTY PROPERTIES
The Rent Guarantee Company (https://www.trgc.co.uk/) say this:
The most recent set of figures from 2022 state there are 960 empty homes in the Harlow Council area.
So it begs the question, why not put these homes back into the housing system and help ease the Harlow housing crisis?
Whilst they stand empty, 3,853 Harlow families are on the Council House Waiting List for council houses.
Nationally, the picture is very similar with 1,206,376 families on council house waiting lists with 676,304 homes empty.
Why the difference in figures?
Companies use different parameters for data and this is perhaps why the figures differ dramatically.
What is certain though, is that there are WAY TOO MANY EMPTY PROPERTIES!
Quite frankly, it is disgusting!