Showing support for National Empty Homes Week, 28 February to 6 March, Propertymark has written to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities wanting action on empty homes to bolster much-needed supply in the private rented sector and for those looking to move house or get on the housing ladder.

The Scottish Government’s Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) Bill proposes to make all eighteen grounds for possession discretionary on a permanent basis, as well as retain pre-action protocols relating to rent arrears.

Changes, announced 14 January 2022, are set to target homeowners who leave properties empty rather than letting out to holidaymakers.

The Welsh Government have embarked on a three-pronged approach to tackle what many are calling a ‘second homes crisis’ in some areas across Wales.

The Act, which was first passed in 2016, represents the biggest change to housing law in Wales for decades. It increases protections for tenants and contract-holders through the introduction of a single, clear framework.

The Welsh Parliament’s Local Government and Housing Committee recently invited views on what the priorities of the committee should be during the Sixth Senedd with emphasis on priority areas to be addressed.

The new ‘three-pronged approach’ focuses on affordability and availability of housing, which includes plans for a pilot area, where new measures will be trialled and evaluated before a wider rollout.

On 16 June, the Welsh Government debated the housing crisis facing locals and Siân Gwenllian MS began the debate by introducing several housing issues that were echoed by other MSs in the Chamber.

Ahead of the budget on 3 March, Propertymark has published its manifesto asking for ten changes the UK Government to make to support the housing sector. Principal changes are a continuation of the cut in stamp duty and extending the Help to Buy scheme to the second-hand homes market.

At the end of November, the Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP, Minister of State for Housing, responded to a letter which Propertymark wrote campaigning for action on empty homes, asking what measures the UK Government is taking to improve the situation and get more empty homes back into use.

In a letter to Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP, Minister of State for Housing, Propertymark campaigns for action on empty homes, asking what measures the UK Government is taking to improve the situation and get more empty homes back into use.

The Local Government and Communities committee has released its Empty Homes in Scotland report on the back of the responses received to their short focussed inquiry into empty homes.

There are currently more than 200,000 empty homes across the UK, around two thirds of the Government’s housebuilding target of 300,000 per year. Many of these could be used to provide a good quality home to someone that needs it.

In our response to Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee Inquiry we stated that don't believe that enough is being done to tackle empty homes in Wales

We responded to the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Communities Committee inquiry into empty homes. Giving our views on what is causing empty homes and what can be done to bring then back into use.