Empty Property
Commons · Question 39535 · Tabled 19 Mar 2025 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · Official record
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Question
Asked by Preet Kaur Gill
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment has she made of the adequacy of local authority powers to ensure that vacant rental properties are made available for new tenancies.
Answer
Answered by Matthew Pennycook, 27 Mar 2025
Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum p...