Issue

Empty Homes

3 stories · discussed at 5 council meetings · 7 councils

Councils are focusing on reducing the number of empty homes and speeding up their re-letting to address housing needs.

Croydon Council has significantly reduced the time to make empty homes ready for new tenants, cutting average void turnaround times by 55% to 47 days by September 2026. The number of long-term empty properties, vacant for over a year, also decreased by 41%, from 32 to 19. These improvements were discussed by the Housing Assurance Board in September 2026 as part of efforts to tackle housing shortages.

Lambeth Council is implementing a new strategy to bring empty homes, defined as unoccupied residential properties, back into use for residents, with its Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee discussing the approach in July 2026. The council categorises 'void' properties by their status, including those requiring substantial investment or earmarked for demolition. Barnet Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee also discussed empty homes in January 2026. No upcoming council meetings are currently scheduled to discuss empty homes.

Key facts

  1. Croydon Council reduced average void turnaround time from 105 days to 47 days by September 2026. Source
  2. Croydon Council decreased long-term voids by 41%, from 32 to 19, by September 2026. Source
  3. Croydon's Housing Assurance Board discussed void improvements in September 2026. Source
  4. Lambeth Council's Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee discussed its empty homes strategy in July 2026. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

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  2. Croydon Council Slashes Void Turnaround Times by 55% to Tackle Housing Shortages 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. Croydon 16 September 2026
  3. Lambeth Council Boosts Re-letting of Empty Homes Amidst Ongoing Void Challenges Lambeth Council is implementing a new strategy to tackle the growing problem of empty homes across the borough, aiming to bring more properties back into use for residents in... Lambeth 17 July 2026