Response 3759172

Response to request for information

Reference

3759172

Response date

30 June 2025

Request

1. What’s the current number of empty properties and long term empty properties across the council, as of June 2? If a figure is not available for June 2, please provide the most up-to-date figure available and state the date for which that figure is accurate. How many of those are owned by the council? What were the numbers as of 2 June 2019, in terms again of empty properties, long term empty properties, and council-owned empty/long term empty properties?
2. How many people were on the social housing waiting lists on those two dates?
3. What’s the reason that the long term empty properties are currently void? Please provide a breakdown by void status – i.e. classifying them as available (Undergoing works, Ready for Occupation, TA: Ready for letting, Long cycle void group, Major Works, Minor repairs), temporarily unavailable (Unauthorised Occupant, Squatted, Capital void, Redevelopment), and permanently unavailable (Demolition, Disposal) or a similar classification method that you use.
4. Since 2019, have you undertaken any work around reducing your long term empty properties? If you have, was this done using internal resources, third party resources, or both?
5. How many properties were brought back into use as a result in each of those years since 2019? What were the average financial costs per property, in order for them to be brought back into use?
6. What work is the council currently undertaking and what is it planning to undertake when it comes to reducing its long term empty properties?
7. Does the council offer financial support, in terms of grants or loans, to Long Term Empty property owners to help them bring properties back into use? If yes, how many owners have made use of that in every year since 2019?
8. What’s the budget, if any, that the council has allocated for supporting the reduction of empty properties?

Response

1. What’s the current number of empty properties and long term empty properties across the council, as of June 2? If a figure is not available for June 2, please provide the most up-to-date figure available and state the date for which that figure is accurate. How many of those are owned by the council? What were the numbers as of 2 June 2019, in terms again of empty properties, long term empty properties, and council-owned empty/long term empty properties?
   • 1,649 empty homes, 733 long term as of 2 June 2025. The only data we hold is 537 long term
2. How many people were on the social housing waiting lists on those two dates?

   • 642 for June 2025, no figure held for 2019.

3. What’s the reason that the long term empty properties are currently void? Please provide a breakdown by void status – i.e. classifying them as available (Undergoing works, Ready for Occupation, TA: Ready for letting, Long cycle void group, Major Works, Minor repairs), temporarily unavailable (Unauthorised Occupant, Squatted, Capital void, Redevelopment), and permanently unavailable (Demolition, Disposal) or a similar classification method that you use.
4. Since 2019, have you undertaken any work around reducing your long term empty properties? If you have, was this done using internal resources, third party resources, or both?
   • Yes, Internal Resources
5. How many properties were brought back into use as a result in each of those years since 2019? What were the average financial costs per property, in order for them to be brought back into use?
   • 2019 with intervention - 7
   • 2020 with intervention - 19
   • 2021 with intervention - 24
   • 2022 with intervention - 20
   • 2023 with intervention - 14
   • 2024 with intervention - 9
   • 2025 with intervention - 6
6. What work is the council currently undertaking and what is it planning to undertake when it comes to reducing its long term empty properties?
   • The council has an Empty Homes Strategy in place for 2024- 2029 and a dedicated Empty Homes Officer. Protocol and procedure documents have been completed to develop and enhance the Council’s range of stricter enforcement options, including Enforced Sales, Empty Dwelling Management Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders. Positive media coverage on the Council’s Twitter and Facebook pages, along with Rushcliffe Reports highlighting the work the Council are doing to tackle empty homes, as well as encouraging owners to come forward for assistance. An informative and accessible webpage has been developed, providing a single point of reference for complainants and empty homeowners, highlighting information on how to report, complain or seek support in relation to empty homes. Established relationships with key internal partners such as Revenues, Benefits and Planning to ensure that relevant and accurate data is shared to best enable their functions. Developed an empty homes database to record, monitor and categorise all reports and complaints. Direct Enforcement Action.
7. Does the council offer financial support, in terms of grants or loans, to Long Term Empty property owners to help them bring properties back into use? If yes, how many owners have made use of that in every year since 2019?
   • No
8. What’s the budget, if any, that the council has allocated for supporting the reduction of empty properties?
   • No separate budget is held.