Tenant census
We're inviting tenants to take part in our census and you may be contacted by email asking you to participate. Find out more about the tenant cenus.
Empty homes can have a negative impact on communities, including causing disrepair, attracting anti-social behaviour, and creating distress for neighbours. The "Report It Empty" scheme aims to identify and manage these vacant properties, helping to address the issues they cause. By reporting an empty home, you help set in motion a process to investigate and potentially restore the property to use.
What is the aim of the scheme?
The "Report It Empty" scheme is designed to help detect and address empty homes that might otherwise go unnoticed. The scheme empowers residents to report these properties, which then triggers an investigation by the Council. Although you might not see immediate action, the report helps initiate a process that can take time to resolve, sometimes even years. Your report is the first step in addressing these issues and getting the property back into productive use.
How long does the property need to have been empty?
Usually we won't start investigating the reason a property is empty until it has been unoccupied for at least six months. Most properties will become reoccupied during this period without the need of any intervention from the Council.
Can the Council take action for every empty home?
Some properties are empty for a very genuine reason; examples are that maybe the owner is in hospital or caring for an ill or elderly relative elsewhere. In circumstances such as these it is unlikely the Council will be able to take action. However the property should be secure against intruders.
What do I do next?
Properties can be reported online using the button below. Please note the button opens in a new window.
If you would like feedback please leave your contact details. You don't need to worry about these details being passed on as we will never tell the owner of the property who has reported it. Once a report of an empty property has been received an officer from the Council will carry out a visit to confirm the details and gather any further information needed.
What can we do to help?
We have developed a range of options we can use to either help or require owners to return properties to use, depending on the circumstances of each case. In the beginning we always try and encourage owners to return properties to use and work with them through our various schemes. Unfortunately there will always be cases where the owner doesn't want to do anything. In these circumstances the Council may consider enforcement action where appropriate.