Empty homes number 'coming down slowly'

The number of UK houses standing empty is gradually being reduced, an expert has claimed.

Chief executive of the Empty Homes Agency David Ireland said that the number of vacant properties in the country has seen a "very gradual and slow decline" since the early 1990s.

Mr Ireland stated that a combination of growing demand and increased public sector involvement has led to more homes being occupied in England, with the number of empty houses now down to 663,000 - there were over 800,000 in 1993.

He explained: "The housing market and the level of demand have made it more cost-effective to bring homes back into use and it's more profitable to keep homes occupied.

"We've pushed quite hard to ensure that local authorities have a duty to bring homes back into use."

The Empty Homes Agency is a charity which campaigns to highlight the waste of vacant property in England.

Self storage can be useful when moving into a new home.


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