Telford & Wrekin Council supports National Empty Homes Week

Telford & Wrekin Council is highlighting its commitment to tackling empty properties across the borough during National Empty Homes Week this week.

Empty Homes Week, which runs from February 28 – March 6, is a campaign organised by Action on Empty Homes which focuses on addressing the problem of long-term empty properties across the UK. 

Telford & Wrekin Council adopted a new strategy to tackle long term empties in October and is committed to bringing a minimum of 375 empty properties back into use.

The council recognises that empty properties are a waste of a home and can negatively impact local communities. 

Through the strategy, the council plans to make the best use of existing housing, support communities affected by empty homes nearby and provide homes for those in housing need, particularly the most vulnerable.  

Telford & Wrekin Council’s approach is to work with homeowners wherever possible to support them with finding the right solution but is also prepared to use enforcement powers where they are required.

Empty homes data shows that the number in Telford and Wrekin is comparatively low by national standards but there has been a rise in empty homes across the borough since 2019.

The council is making good strides to tackle empty homes, a significant number of which have been empty for over 2 years.

A dedicated Empty Property Officer works across the borough to investigate long term empty properties.  

With a rolling case load of over 85 properties at any one time, 41 have already been brought back into use since the adoption of the strategy.

Councillor Richard Overton (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, Enforcement and Transport said:

“We’re pleased to be supporting National Empty Homes Week and show what we are doing to bring empty homes back into use.

“Empty homes can become a real blight on our communities causing distress to neighbourhoods across the borough.

“Our starting point is always to work with property owners to support and enable them to bring properties back into use themselves or via a sale.”

Telford & Wrekin Council is also using Telford & Wrekin Homes, part of its housing company Nuplace, to acquire properties where appropriate.  

Telford & Wrekin Homes is the council’s new trademark which will see existing housing stock in the borough brought back to life.

As part of this scheme, the first properties have now been purchased and are undergoing refurbishment works.

In 2021, the council announced it was investing £13m into the acquisition and refurbishment of around 100 homes for a mixture of private and affordable rent to address issues of poor housing in communities and raise standards in the private rented sector across the borough.

Richard Overton added: “We recognise the impact of empties on local neighbourhoods so where necessary we will use our enforcement powers to support all our communities.

“We are committed to breathing new life into empty homes and addressing housing need across the borough.”

If there’s an empty property in your neighbourhood that’s causing you concern which you’d like to report, you can do so here or you can email empty.homes@telford.gov.uk