RBC highlights work to bring empty properties back into use on World Vacant Homes Day
Last updated: 8/10/2025
Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) is highlighting its work helping to bring empty properties back into use across the Borough as it marks the inaugural World Vacant Homes Day today (October 8).
The international awareness day launched by The Empty Homes Network shines a spotlight on the global challenge of long-term vacant residential properties, and the opportunities they offer for boosting housing supply, regenerating communities, and promoting sustainable development.
This year, RBC has successfully brought 15 long term empty properties back into use, exceeding its initial target set out in the Council’s Empty Homes Strategy 2024 – 2029.
This outcome has been achieved through a combination of direct enforcement measures and engagement with property owners. Additional homes have been brought back into use through assistance with probate, advisory correspondence and other interventions.
Unoccupied homes can be detrimental to the lives of those in local communities and can cause problems such as vandalism, anti-social behaviour and nuisance and reduce the value of surrounding properties.
RBC continues to encourage owners of empty properties to seek help from the Council’s dedicated Empty Homes Officer, who provides a wide range of support and guidance, including:
- Free property appraisal, including current value, rental value if habitable and cost of refurbishment works
- Links to estate agents and property investors, in order to find the most appropriate sale route for the owner
- Links with letting agents to advise on letting the property to family units, students, or as a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO)
- Advice on upgrades to the property, to ensure all current regulatory standards are adhered to
- Advice on VAT and tax implications of being a landlord
- Guidance on the reduced rate of VAT on refurbishments of properties empty over two years
- A referral to other Council departments, such as planning or housing standards where necessary.
If an owner fails to respond to repeated attempts to contact them, and there are no signs that the property will be occupied in the near future, the Council can consider a range of enforcement options.
They include compulsory purchase orders, an empty dwelling management order, enforced sale to recover debt or improvement notices where the Council can carry out the improvement works if the owner fails to themselves.
RBC’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing Cllr Roger Upton said: “We’re proud to support the first World Vacant Homes Day. Empty homes is a shared challenge across many nations and we’re continuing our work in line with our Empty Homes Strategy to bring empty homes in the Borough back into use, helping local people live healthier, better lives.
“There are also environmental benefits of turning empty homes back into a liveable state, supporting the Council’s ambitions for a sustainable and greener future.
“Our Empty Homes Officer Claudia Bowring is helping to promote the importance of dealing with empty homes and is working directly with homeowners to bring any derelict and abandoned properties within Borough back into use.
“Whether a property is struggling to sell, needs repairs to make it habitable, or is in the process of going through probate, there are often difficult and substantial reasons why homes remain empty but we’re here to help.
“Where an owner has plans for the property, and is actively implementing them, we still make contact to see if we can further assist the plans to ensure they stay on track.”
Empty Homes Officer Claudia Bowring added: “Putting empty homes back into use can not only can play a pivotal role in solving the housing crisis, it also ensures Rushcliffe remains a desirable place to live, by preventing decay in a neighbourhood.
“International Vacant Homes Day therefore provides an opportunity to raise public awareness on the matter and promote vital work. As the Empty Homes Officer for Rushcliffe, I am keen to work with the community and homeowners to tackle the issue of empty homes in the Borough.”