Local authorities in England will be able to apply for Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) for homes left empty for six months, rather than two years, from 5 November 2026. This is a positive move, although EDMOs should be used only as a last resort. The measures could be enhanced by adding a requirement for local authorities to consult a qualified agent to speed up the process of returning stock to the market.

We have taken our campaign to unlock empty homes directly to the Senedd, urging policymakers to widen access to funding, recognise private landlords as housing providers, and assess whether council tax premiums are bringing properties back into use. In an evidence session on 21 October 2026, our Head of Policy and Campaigns, Timothy Douglas, highlighted the need for practical support for owners, better housing data, and properly funded local authority teams.

Party Leader Zack Polanski's speech and wider conference policy discussions have outlined a series of housing and property proposals, including plans for a three-year cap on private rents, increased investment in social housing, and wider reforms aimed at addressing housing affordability. Propertymark supports policies that improve access to safe, secure, and affordable housing. However, we continue to oppose rent control measures that risk serious unintended consequences for people seeking suitable homes.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has proposed a new scheme to allow first-time buyers in England to purchase a new-build home with a 2.5% deposit, along with plans to let councils intervene sooner when homes stand empty, and a £210 million package to bring disused high street buildings back into use. Propertymark’s Policy and Campaigns Team is at the Labour Party conference to discuss these announcements directly with MPs and explain how members and their clients could be affected.

Informed by our engagement with member agents operating in Wales, Propertymark has called on the Senedd’s Finance Committee to ensure the 2027–28 Budget addresses the real financial pressures facing property businesses and the wider housing market. We urge the Welsh Government to prioritise practical action that improves the availability and quality of homes, rather than adding costs or regulation that could reduce supply.

Schemes designed to help people buy and renovate homes are expected to help up to 400 additional households purchase new-build properties and support bringing as many as 300 long-term empty homes back into use. Mortgage assistance will also remain available to eligible existing homeowners experiencing financial difficulty.

Centre for London has called for a Proportional Property Tax as part of a wider plan to tackle London’s housing crisis. The city not only needs more homes, but also a better way to use, fund, and distribute the homes it already has. Although the report focuses on the capital, many of the pressures it identifies are felt across the UK, including a shortage of social housing, high moving costs, a lack of suitable homes for older people, and barriers to new development.

Tackling empty homes is a practical and achievable way to increase housing supply without relying solely on new development. By combining stronger local action, targeted incentives, and clearer national direction, governments can unlock the potential of existing housing stock and support more people into secure homes.

The English Housing Survey (EHS) for 2024-25 provides a detailed picture of how people across England are buying, renting and coping with rising housing costs. For Propertymark members, the findings highlight important shifts in first-time buyer behaviour, demand in the private rented sector (PRS), and growing affordability challenges — with London continuing to stand apart from the rest of the country.

The Scottish Government has announced a new national drive to match empty homes with people who want to buy and renovate them, a practical step aimed at reducing the country’s 43,000 long-term empty properties and easing pressure across the housing system. For agents, especially those operating in rural or regeneration areas, this offers new opportunities to support owners, connect with motivated buyers and help local authorities increase housing supply.

The Northern Ireland Dilapidation Bill aims to modernise and consolidate the rules which equip local authorities to tackle run-down, dangerous, or dilapidated buildings and land. It creates a single toolkit to support earlier action to protect amenities, aid regeneration, and keep people safe. The overall direction of the legislation is sound, and Propertymark is engaging with Ministers and MLAs to make improvements so that it will work better in practice.

The Scottish Government has published its Tackling Scotland’s Housing Emergency strategy, renewing efforts to bring empty homes back into use, boost affordable housing delivery, and tackle issues such as damp and mould. While some measures have been applauded, the plan fails to address urgent problems in the social and private rented sectors, as well as the pressing challenges facing Scotland’s housing market.

Backed by £17 million in UK Government funding, the strategy will refurbish empty homes, expand support hubs and offer help before people are forced onto the streets. Propertymark supports a shift from crisis response to early intervention. We campaign for local authorities to prioritise a housing-led approach and increasing engagement with our members, who are well placed to help identify at-risk tenants and support local efforts to improve access to the private rented sector (PRS).

Westminster City Council wants a change in the law to allow local authorities to take control of private sector properties when they have been left empty for more than six months, significantly reducing the current threshold under the national Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) framework. Propertymark recognises the vital importance of maximising housing supply and supporting sensible measures that bring empty homes back into use, however, we advocate for approaches that are proportionate, transparent, and fair to property owners.

Jayne Bryant MS, The Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government has outlined the progress of the controversial Second Homes Pilot Scheme in the Dwyfor areas and expansion plans that 21 other local authorities will charge a council tax premium on second homes and long-term empty properties from April 2025.The Scheme looks to implement higher tax rates for second homes and holiday lets and introduce grants for first-time buyers to renovate empty homes.

A Local Authority has been given the go ahead by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to repossess a rental property left empty and in disrepair since 2018. Objections raised by the property owner were overruled by a Planning Inspectorate hearing and the Council will now ensure the building is sold to a new owner who will renovate and occupy it within a reasonable timeframe.