Croydon Council has significantly reduced the time it takes to make empty homes ready for new tenants, a key initiative to tackle housing shortages and reduce homelessness.
The average void turnaround time has been slashed from 105 days in March 2023 to just 47 days, representing a 55% improvement. The number of long-term voids, properties empty for over a year, has also decreased by 41%, falling from 32 to 19.
These improvements were discussed at a meeting of the Housing Assurance Board on Monday, September 14, 2026. The Board heard that a comprehensive review of the voids process, which began in 2023, has led to a series of improvements. These include establishing dedicated teams, refining pre-allocation processes, and improving contractor management.
Pre-allocation processes have been a key focus, with over 100 properties now being pre-allocated. The council is developing reporting for these pre-allocations and aims for every property to be pre-allocated by the end of September. This process is now fully documented within the system, allowing lettings teams to track pre-allocation times and ensure efficiency.
Despite the progress, challenges remain. The Board was informed that contractor performance and the need for more robust performance management are ongoing issues. To address this, the council is in the process of procuring three specialist contractors to restore flexibility and further drive down void loss. These new contractors are expected to be operational by November at the latest, with the specification for their roles already finalised.
Contractor performance is being measured by the timeliness and quality of works, as well as adherence to specifications. The potential loss of void work, which is described as good and easy money for contractors,
is considered the biggest single motivator for performance. If current contractors do not meet expectations, their work may be reassigned to the incoming specialist contractors, providing a strong incentive for all parties to perform.
Mary Larbie, Director of Housing Management, presented the findings, highlighting that the council is now averaging 36 lettings per month, with a target of 60. While acknowledging the improvements, she stressed the need to ensure that internal processes and contractor performance are consistently managed to meet targets.
Beyond contractor performance, other challenges within the voids process include issues with accountability, the negative impact of custom and practice (such as in asbestos and energy management), voids being called for inspection, targets and commitments not being met, variations, and additional works being added post-inspection. Furthermore, the specification of current contracts is noted as being less motivational, with rates reportedly £25 per day below expected levels. Gaps in information within the system also prevent reports from reaching their full potential, though performance management and training are underway to address these issues.
Read more about the council's housing strategy in the Public reports pack 14th Sep 2026 Housing Assurance Board.
See the Minutes of Previous Meeting.
View the Agenda frontsheet 14th Sep 2026 Housing Assurance Board.