The Housing Committee met to discuss the significant issue of empty homes in London, hearing from experts and council officers about the scale of the problem, its drivers, and potential solutions. Key discussions focused on the increasing number of empty properties, the impact on housing supply and communities, and the effectiveness of current strategies employed by local authorities and the Mayor's office to bring these homes back into use.

Empty Homes in London

The meeting highlighted the growing problem of empty homes in London, with 105,138 properties recorded as vacant in 2025, an 81% increase since 2016. This significant rise in empty homes, which constitutes 2.7% of London's total housing stock, was a central concern. Tara Clinton, an Associate at Arup, presented research suggesting that bringing just 5% of these empty homes back into use could unlock around 13,500 properties annually, a figure comparable to current social rent home delivery rates. This highlights the potential of empty homes as a significant, yet underutilised, resource for tackling the housing crisis.

Chris Bailey, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Action on Empty Homes, noted that long-term empty homes in London have more than doubled over the last decade, making the capital a regional outlier. He attributed this rise partly to London's housing market dynamics, suggesting that the increasing number of expensive homes being built may not align with the demand for affordable housing. This point was echoed by Sam Bloomer, Policy Officer at Shelter, who argued that while bringing empty homes back into use is welcome, it is not a silver bullet for London's housing emergency, which is primarily driven by a lack of social housing.

The discussion also touched upon the social, environmental, and economic implications of empty homes. Empty properties can negatively impact neighbourhoods by causing insecurity, pests, and damp problems for adjacent residents. Furthermore, high concentrations of empty homes in an area can lead to a decline in local services and school closures, as families are priced out. Environmentally, retrofitting empty homes is significantly greener than new construction, and can create local jobs. Economically, the financialisation of housing, with properties being bought as investments or gold bricks, exacerbates wealth inequality and property inequality, ultimately contributing to homelessness.

Drivers of Empty Homes

Several factors were identified as contributing to the rise in empty homes. Inheritance and family disputes were cited by empty homes officers from Camden, Waltham Forest, and Lewisham as reasons for properties remaining vacant, often due to probate delays or disagreements among beneficiaries. The complexity and length of planning permission processes were also highlighted as a barrier, particularly for investors seeking to subdivitise family homes into flats.

The role of investors, including those from abroad, was a significant point of discussion. Chris Bailey noted that the housing market in London and the South East, characterised by valuable and expensive housing, has seen extremely high levels of empty homes. He suggested that some new-build homes are being left empty because developers are holding onto them, waiting for prices to rise, rather than selling them at a lower market value. This buy-to-leave phenomenon was linked to wealth inequality, with a smaller number of people owning a larger number of houses. The potential for money laundering through London property was also raised, with estimates suggesting billions of pounds are rinsed through the market annually, creating little incentive for owners to rent out properties.

The issue of unregistered properties was also raised by Evelyn Williams, an Empty Homes Officer for Waltham Forest. She noted that some properties are not registered with the Land Registry, making it difficult to trace owners and address vacancy issues. This was particularly prevalent in her borough, where properties passed down through generations had never been formally registered.

Strategies to Tackle Empty Homes

The committee heard about various strategies employed by local authorities and proposed by experts to bring empty homes back into use. These included:

• Council Tax Premiums: While the introduction of premiums for empty and second homes has had some impact in encouraging owners to bring properties back into use, it was noted that some owners are willing to pay these premiums, meaning properties remain empty. Joyce Amoateng, Empty Homes Coordinator for Camden, stated that in some cases, individuals have accrued significant debt due to these premiums, leading to bankruptcy, but the properties themselves remain unoccupied.
• Acquisition and Conversion Programmes: Tara Clinton from Arup highlighted that bringing empty homes back into use as social housing through acquisition and conversion can be cost-effective and fast, with a conservative estimate of conversion within eight months. This approach also offers a vital opportunity for retrofitting existing buildings.
• Grants and Financial Incentives: Evelyn Williams mentioned a successful empty homes grant scheme in Lambeth that allowed people needing social housing to move into empty properties for five years. While this scheme had to be adapted due to landlords' reluctance to commit for such long periods, it demonstrated the potential of such initiatives. The availability of reduced VAT for refurbishment works on properties empty for over two years was also highlighted as a helpful incentive.
• Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) and Enforced Sales: Chris Bailey advocated for stronger powers for councils, including no-fault Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) and reformed CPO powers, to encourage owners to bring homes into use. He argued that current powers are too weak and that the threat of CPO is necessary to encourage action. Yus Nordin from Lewisham also noted that enforced sales, while intended to be quicker than CPOs, still face significant legal hurdles due to council legal teams being decimated by cuts.
• Taxation Reform: Shelter advocates for a proportional property tax which would disincentivise people from buying properties as investments to leave them empty. This would be a tax proportional to property value, rather than the current regressive council tax system.
• Targeted Support and Engagement: The empty homes officers from Camden, Waltham Forest, and Lewisham described their work in engaging with owners, educating residents about empty homes, and offering support and advice. They also highlighted the importance of having dedicated strategies and staff to effectively tackle empty properties.
• Planning System Reform: The difficulty in obtaining planning permission to subdivitise family homes into flats was identified as a barrier, particularly for investors who can afford the initial purchase but are then unable to get permission to develop the property.

The committee heard that while bringing empty homes back into use is part of the solution to the housing crisis, it is not a standalone answer. The overarching issue remains the fundamental lack of social housing supply. However, addressing empty homes is seen as a crucial step in diversifying housing supply and making better use of existing stock.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on the work programme and the date of the next meeting, scheduled for 7 July 2026. The committee also noted the actions taken under delegated authority and the response from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government regarding the Mayor's Affordable Homes Programme.