Sutton Housing Partnership (SHP) is implementing measures to reduce the time properties remain empty, a key focus within its 2026-2027 Delivery Plan. The organisation aims to reduce the target time for standard voids from 28 days to 27 days.
During a Housing, Economy and Business Committee meeting on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, Steve Tucker from SHP reported that while turnaround times for standard voids are currently 23.6 days and for major works voids are 56.9 days – both outperforming London's top quartile figures – the aim is to further reduce these times. The longer duration for major works voids reflects the volume of work required in these properties.
Improvements include enhancing communication between different teams involved in the re-letting process and introducing a pre-termination visit for departing tenants. This visit is designed to take them through what they need to do and the property back to us in broadly the condition they received it minus fair wear and tear.
Tenants who do not return properties in good condition, minus fair wear and tear, could be liable for some of the costs associated with the work required to turn the property around, rather than these costs falling to other tenants.
Reducing void turnaround times is a priority because any time a property is vacant, we're losing rental and it, you know, it's depriving a family of a home which they desperately need to move into.
These measures are expected to reduce the cost and speed the turnover of time.
Targets for void turnaround times have been adjusted to reflect performance trends and benchmarking. The meeting information can be found in the Public reports pack.
