Number of empty private homes rises above 300,000
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The latest annual Halifax Empty Homes survey shows that the number of long-term empty private homes - homes that have been vacant for more than six months exceeded 300,000 in 2008 for the first time in five years.
There were 303,285 long-term empty private homes in England in April 2008, a rise of 9% from 279,281 in April 2007.
The number of long-term empty private homes is at its highest since April 2003 (308,438), accounting for 1.6% of all privately owned properties. The total number of empty private homes in England stood at 613,270 in April 2008.
The North West has the highest number of long-term empty private homes, 66,691, accounting for 22% of the total across England. The North West also has the highest number of long-term empty homes as a proportion of all private homes, 2.6% followed by Yorkshire and the Humber, 2.2% and the North East, 2.1%. London, the South East and the South West have the lowest proportions of long-term empty private homes all 1.1%.
Levels of deprivation are typically higher in areas with a large proportion of empty private homes. Fifteen of the 20 local authorities with the highest proportions of long-term empty private homes are among the 25% in England with the highest levels of deprivation.
Areas with relatively high levels of long-term empty private homes have lower than average earnings. Eighteen of the 20 local authorities where 3% or more of all private homes have been empty for at least six months have levels of average earnings that are below the national average. The levels of earnings in these locations are, on average, 24% below the national average. Additionally, six of the 10 local authorities with the highest proportion of long-term empty private homes have an unemployment rate that is above the national average.
Suren Thiru, economist at Halifax, says: “It is concerning that there are over 300,000 private homes in England that have been empty for more than six months and that the number has increased recently following several years of decline. In many cases, high levels of long-term empty homes reflect relatively high levels of deprivation, low average earnings and high unemployment.”
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Readers' comments (6)
Mike | 23 Nov 2009 12:56 pm
I thought there was supposed to be a shortage of homes in the UK, meaning endless house price inflation? Oh dear, don't tell be it was always a mirage....
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L Smith | 23 Nov 2009 2:04 pm
I think the government should start buldozing homes to increase shortages and prop up prices.
The poorer people, who dont have the balls to take out a 10x income mortgage can set up shanty towns.
Obviously the overriding concern is to keep home prices as high as possible.
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Anonymous | 23 Nov 2009 2:39 pm
There is indeed a shortage of new homes, but now it seems there is a shortage of FTB's (fools to buy) that has overtaken it (they had a particularily heavy night when the twins went out) - but house prices only ever go up.....fill your boots,whilst stocks last, I say.
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Justin Illyusion | 23 Nov 2009 2:40 pm
There is indeed a shortage of new homes, but now it seems there is a shortage of FTB's (fools to buy) that has overtaken it (they had a particularily heavy night when the twins went out) - but house prices only ever go up.....fill your boots,whilst stocks last, I say.
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Carol | 23 Nov 2009 4:26 pm
I hope all these houses are paying their fair share of council tax. We're getting tired of ours going up all the time.
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Anonymous | 24 Nov 2009 1:20 am
What is needed is a `right to occupy' scheme, where homeless people who can afford a fair market rent can apply to an arbitrator for an order allowing them to occupy am empty property.
Owners in the UK may be following a trend seen here in Australia where houses were snapped up when they were cheap, sat on until prices rose, then to be sold on as `renovators delights'.
This behavior is scandalous when so many people are homeless and so few properties are for rent that rents also spiral out of control.
It is the end result of successive governments' policies of treating peoples' homes as `poker chips'.
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