Number of vacant houses all over England

In England, the number of vacant houses is continuously increasing, “rapidly concerned” about the impact on local communities and lost resources with the councils.

“It is afraid of you because you don’t know what is going to happen next.”

N. Devero has nurtured his house in a peaceful corner of Bristol for more than 25 years. But the property of the next door – empty, collapse and overran – with pests – has become a continuous source of stress.

He said that once there was only one look that now there is a “magnet” for crime.

“This is a place that is just available and open to misuse,” he said.

“Whether it is coming out and urinating against the wall, drug-dealing or fly-tipping.

“I am afraid when I leave my house or come at night. It is emotionally wearing me.”

He has seen violence outside his front door, and the rotting smell of nonsense dumped inside the building sometimes flows into its living room.

The Bristol City Council said that it had ordered the owner of the building to make it safe.

But other people in the tight-bound community of Ms. Devero and St. Verberg say the situation is “getting worse”.

A few months ago, the roof of derogatory property collapsed, with dozens of mice removed in nearby gardens.

“This is a meaningless resource, and I know that there are many places that are empty and rot and are causing real problems,” said Ms. Devero.

The city council stated that it “continues to monitor the building” and would consider further action, including taking steps to do security tasks, if the owner does not fulfill his obligations.

The BBC approached the owner of the building, but had no response.

Residents of St. Verberg say they want the property to be used immediately – and their story is not unique.

The number of vacant houses in England has increased in the last decade, even the country struggles with a shortage of housing.

According to the most recent government data, there are now more than 700,000 empty houses. Among them, 264,884 is classified as “long -term empty”, which means that no one stays there for six months or more.

In Wales, this figure was on 120,000 empty properties when data was last collided.

In 2023, the Welsh government launched a plan for £ 50m national vacant houses, which offered Up to £ 25,000 for improvement They have to be made for assets to make them available again.

Empty houses are also seen as a missed opportunity by housing donation.

According to official data, 4,667 people were sleeping on the streets in England in the last autumn of the same night – A near-ridden high and third annual growth in a line,

Bristol Charity, 1625 independent people, trying to change it.

Its Future Builders Program is changing empty properties in homes for youths facing homeless to rent at low cost.

Becky Hopkins became homeless in the city at just 18 years old.

“I was completely lost, alone, and isolated. I had feelings of self-soul. I was worried all the time,” she said.

But the event gave Ms. Hopkins a more economical place to rent, while she worked in the direction of a more stable future.

“After having a stable place, I can really focus on working on my mental health and building better habits.”

Now 21, she is undergoing training to become Royal Navy Engineer.

“This is a change that I did not think was possible,” he said.

Local councils are at the limits of the issue of vacant houses, and leaders are now calling for strong powers and resources to use more back.

Specific officers are tasked to find out the owners of vacant properties so that they can be held accountable.

Sean Fuses leads the team at the South Glostersarer Council, which has so far used 47 properties back.

“If left empty, they can give rise to a spiral of decline, neglect and decay in a community,” he said.

“We initially try to join with the owner, but when it becomes a harmful effect for a broad neighborhood, we have to take enforcement action to prevent that decline.”

If the property has been empty for more than two years, and the owner is not cooperating, the council can apply for an empty housing management order (EDMO).

If provided, the council does not get ownership of property, but obtains the right to manage and potentially improve it, recover costs through rent.

But this power is rarely used due to involvement in a long and complex process.

In England, between 2017 and 2020, only 20 decisions were made on EDMO applications, In government research,

The local government is calling for a change in the association law to make it easier for the councils to manage the management of empty houses.

Group action on empty houses is also campaigning to bring back the vacant properties.

Campaign manager Chris Bailey said: “Every empty house is a lost opportunity to improve the life of a family which is currently homeless.

“These are houses that are relevant, at the right places – between towns and cities where people want to live – where services are already present.

“It is not a matter of building an entire new city and is waiting for 10 years for this to happen, these are houses that are now available, they can be brought back within a year.”

But it is not always straightforward.

When the owners of the house die, their property is often empty during the probate process, during which their property is legally evaluated and distributed.

Jenny Sadler inherited her mother’s house in 2011.

“This is a huge privilege to inherit a home,” he said. “But it is Bitwatch when it is a member of a close family, because the house is they and they are home.”

The property fell into disorder, and Ms. Sadler struggled to bear the increasing costs of necessary renewal. As a result, the house is empty while the work is going on.

“We found more and more things that needed work,” she said.

“You find yourself thinking – how am I going to do this?”

Ms. Sadler has obtained a loan from Landology that works with the councils to offer low-to-onion loans to use empty homes back.

She now expects to fulfill renewal and rent property through homes for Ukraine plan.

A spokesperson of the Ministry of Housing, communities and local government said: “We are firm to fix the housing crisis that we have inherited, and we know that having a very empty home in an area can have significant impact on local communities.

“That’s why we are giving councils to the councils to increase the councils on the vacant homes of long -term empty homes, as well as to remove tax incentives for short -term letters, and we continue to consider further action.”