Southwark Empty Homes Action Plan

2024 update
This is an update of the October 2021 action plan which sets out Southwark Council’s zero tolerance approach to
long term empty homes and sets out plans to bring empty homes quickly back into use. We will work closely with our
residents and property owners while taking firm action where required.
One page summary of the Southwark Empty Homes Action Plan
This table is a one page summary of the full action plan which is included towards the end of this document.

Taking a zero tolerance approach to long term empty private sector homes

• Applying full council tax to all empty homes and applying the maximum premiums for long term empty homes
• Using compulsory purchase powers with dedicated funding.
• Using enforcement options where an empty property is a statutory nuisance
Working with residents and property owners to quickly bring empty homes back in to use
• Raising awareness and provide advice on the options to bring properties back into use
• Providing enhanced grants and loans to bring properties back in to use
• Encouraging property owners to let their homes through the council’s social lettings agency to homeless families with a
clear offer
• Contacting developers of newly developed empty homes with the offer of leasing to the council
• Making it easier to report empty homes
Improving our understanding of private sector empty homes to better target action and support
• Contacting owners of empty homes on the council tax database to improve our understanding of the reasons for this, and
what additional support would help return the property to use.
Campaigning for more resources and more effective powers to tackle empty homes in the private sector
• Demanding flexibility to charge unlimited council tax premiums (we were also initially calling for a reduction in the initial 2
year period, and flexibility to charge premiums on second homes and furnished homes, which has now been introduced)
• Demanding increased resources for grants and loans
• Calling for simpler and swifter powers around CPOs and EDMOS
• Calling for planning powers to revert property to the local authorities housing supply where vacant
Reducing the number of empty council homes
• Setting ambitious targets for quickly turning around major and minor council empty properties as they become vacant
• Where possible, using council homes which are empty due to impending redevelopment as temporary accommodation.

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The problem of empty homes and limited powers
London is in the midst of a housing crisis. At a time when tens of thousands of families across the capital are reliant on temporary
accommodation or on waiting lists for a suitable home, it has never been more important to tackle the issue of empty homes, with
numbers of empty homes rising across London and the country.

Empty housing in Southwark, as across London, is a problem predominantly driven by the private sector. The overwhelming majority of
empty homes are privately owned where there are limited powers to tackle this. As a council we recognised the scale of this problem
and are committed to clamping down on empty homes which are a needless waste and a lost resource, particularly in an area where
there is high demand and significant levels of housing need. Empty homes can also create a serious blight on a neighbourhood by
creating environmental problems with pests and as places of anti-social behaviour.

The council is committed to ‘Take action to reduce the number of empty homes in our borough, so more local people can move into
them’, as set out in Southwark’s Borough Plan. In February 2021 Cabinet agreed actions to be included in this Empty Homes Action
Plan. The full report is available online here. The council will use all powers available, while recognising that these are extremely limited
and we need significant changes at a national level to support our ambitions. In March 2022 Cabinet agreed additional funding for
Private Sector Empty Homes and changes to loans and grants. The full report is available here.

Part 1 of the following action plan sets out Southwark Council’s zero tolerance approach to long term empty homes in the borough.
There is simply too high a demand for housing for it to be acceptable that properties are left empty for long periods of time. We plan to
use all the powers available to us as cost efficiently as possible to deter landlords from leaving properties empty, while at the same time
working proactively with landlords and residents to bring properties back into use a quickly as possible. We know in many cases people
may just need advice or some financial support to make the required repairs, or to find a suitable buyer or tenant. We have conducted
further research to increase our understanding of the reasons properties are being left empty and what further support may be required
to assist landlords to quickly return properties to use.

While we are committed to use all the powers, buttons and levers available to us, our powers are limited. There is more that needs to
happen at a national level to give local authorities the powers to truly tackle this problem, and therefore the following action plan sets out
how we will lobby for further powers and resources in this area.

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However we also recognise there is more as a council we can do to reduce the number of empty homes we manage. While there are
valid reasons for many of these being vacant there is more we can do to reduce the number of empty homes, through speeding up re-
letting times and reducing the number of homes which are empty as part of regeneration schemes. This is set out in Part 2 of the action
plan.

How many empty homes are there?

There are many different definitions of empty homes and a variety of sources of data, which all have some limitations. The simplest way
to compare empty homes is to focus on the council tax data. This is the method we have used for the purposes of this report. However,
to a large extent this does rely on self-reporting of the relevant council tax status of a property by the tenant or owner.

Each property is either classed as being an empty home or an empty home with a premium applied for properties which are empty for
over 21, 5 or 10 years, provided they are unfurnished. This gives a total of 4,580 empty homes in October 2023. Of these 1,153 had
been empty for over 2 years. This total empty homes figure had increased from 4,416 in October 2021. However council tax records
show this number had fallen to 4,040 by April 2024. Most of the change in these figures is within the short term vacant figures. A higher
figure of 5,143 empty homes is given on MHCLG Live Table 615 for the October 2023 figure. This includes an additional 563 homes
which were empty but in exempt classes as detailed in a table below.

Oct Oct Oct Oct Dec April

Property category
2020 2021 2022 2023 2023 2024
Empty with zero council tax discount (plus for April 2024 those empty 1-2 years 2584
2,711 3,185 2,634 3,427 3,097
with a 100% premium as per footnote 1) +668
Empty for 2-5 years with 100% premium council tax 795 940 896 802 750 564
Empty for between 5 years and 10 years with 200% premium council tax 214 251 282 331 389 203
Empty for over 10 years with 300% premium council tax (introduced in April 2021) N/A 40 47 20 20 21
(Total with a premium) 1,009 1,231 1,225 1,153 1,159 1,456
Total empty and substantially unfurnished (with or without a premium) 3,720 4,416 3,859 4,580 4,256 4,040
All vacant dwellings from Live Table 6152 - Includes the exempt classes below 4,218 4,976 4,452 5,143 N/A N/A

1 Reducing to one year from 1st April 2024 using new powers in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023
2 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants
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 Oct Oct Oct Oct Dec April
Property category
2020 2021 2022 2023 2023 2024
Dwellings on the valuation list in exempt classes (included in October 2020 October 2021 October 2022 October 2023
the empty homes total in Live table 615)
Class B: Unoccupied property owned by a registered charity 63 83 56 63
Class E: Empty property previously occupied by a person now 30 30
35 31
residing in a care home, hospital or hostel.
Class F: The council tax payer has died 308 363 393 285
Class G: Occupation prohibited by law 57 54 83 145
Classes D,H,I,J,K,L,Q covering issues such as prison, hospital, 40
held for minister of religion, personal care, students, mortgagee in 35 29 31
possession and bankruptcy
Total in exempt classes 498 559 593 563

The following table breaks each category down by tenure. It should be noted that this is a snapshot of time which does not exactly
match the snapshot above as reported above as the reports were run off at slightly different times. There can be delays for people to
notify council tax as they move in to properties. There is also a regular process of reviewing the data on council properties to correct
issues and anomalies that arise, such as from the self-reporting of information by residents.

As of October 2023, there were 148,886 homes of all tenure types in Southwark, therefore taking the total figures in the following table
for December 2023, there was an approximate 4.5% vacancy rate in the borough including second homes and empty but substantially
furnished properties. Further information by tenure is included in the following sections.

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 2021 (October) 2022 (September) 2023 (December)
Private Council Overall
Private Council Private Council
and including total
and including Overall and including Overall
Primary liable party as recorded on council registere non-
registered non- total registered non- total
tax (right) and empty homes category (below) d active3
providers active3 providers active3
providers
Empty no premium (less than 2 years) 2,613 637 3,250 1,806 852 2,658 1,944 1,153 3,097
100% premium (empty 2-5 years) 362 570 932 289 602 891 283 467 750
200% premium (empty 5-10 years) 53 194 247 55 223 278 74 315 389
300% premium (empty over 10 years) 16 24 40 15 32 47 16 4 20
Total premium (empty over 2 years) 431 788 1,219 359 857 1,216 373 786 1,159
Proportions of total premiums by tenure 35% 65% 100% 30% 70% 100% 32% 68% 100%
Total empty unfurnished 3,044 1,425 4,469 2,165 1,709 3,874 2,317 1,939 4,256
Proportions of total empty unfurnished in each
68% 32% 100% 56% 44% 100% 54% 46% 100%
tenure
Second homes 476 0 476 445 0 445 432 0 432
Furnished, but unoccupied 2,724 21[2] 2,745 2,395 15 2,410 2,035 10 2,045
Uninhabitable 10 0 10 14 0 14 14 0 14
Total empty homes including unfurnished and 6,254 1,446 7,700 5,019 1,724 6,743 4,798 1,949 6,749
second homes etc.
Proportions of grand total empty in each tenure 81% 19% 100% 74% 26% 100% 71% 29% 100%

Up to now we were prohibited by legislation from applying a council tax premium on properties which were furnished but unoccupied.
Following legislation that came into effect on 26 October 2023 councils will also be able to charge a 100% premium council tax on
empty furnished and second homes. Councils planning to implement this premium must advertise this determination one year before it
comes into effect on 1 April 2025. Further information on how Southwark will implement this change is provided in a later section.

3 This includes properties which are unavailable for letting due to redevelopment, major refurbishment, disposal or non-housing use. This information is split down
in the section of this action plan specifically on empty council properties.

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What lies behind these numbers?
• Southwark is a leading borough in terms of the delivery of new homes of all types but this does temporarily increase the number of
empty properties, however most of these are then let or sold and therefore do not become long term empty properties. If any
properties do remain empty the council works with the owner to explore other ways of bringing these into use.
• Some properties may be deliberately left empty as investment opportunities.
• There is an increased churn associated with having a significant private rented sector, larger than many boroughs.
• In figures for previous years, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many students not renting in the private rented sector while their
courses moved online. In addition there was some evidence of an initial decline in demand in the private rented sector in London,
with many households choosing to move further out given the opportunities presented by home working.
• When a resident passes away, it can take some time for a property to then be brought back to use, especially through probate
proceedings.
• There are a high number of empty properties situated within large scale regeneration schemes such as at Aylesbury Estate. There
are also some blocks which need to be temporarily vacated where fire risk assessment work or other essential safety work is
conducted which identifies a need to take corrective action such as at Ledbury Estate and Marie Curie.

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PART 1 – TACKLING PRIVATE SECTOR
EMPTY HOMES
The main focus of the Southwark Empty Homes Action Plan is on the private sector as the overwhelming majority of empty homes are
privately owned. In Southwark, privately owned and housing association empty homes account for about 71% of all empty homes
including second homes and furnished homes. Practically all furnished empty homes are also in the private sector, and there were also
432 second homes in the private sector. Up until now we have been unable to charge a council tax premium on these properties. This is
changing following the new Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. This will allow councils like Southwark new powers to help tackle
these types of empty properties for empty properties vacant for over a year, rather than 2 years, it will also allow a 100% council tax
premium to be charged on empty furnished homes and second homes. The Cabinet Report “The Council Tax Base for 2024-25” set out
how Southwark Council plans to make use of these new powers that we have been calling for. New actions have been added to this
plan. The Cabinet report is available online at:

https://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/documents/s117664/Report%20Council%20Tax%20Base%202024-25.pdf

The council has adopted a zero tolerance approach to long term empty properties. While the council’s preference is to work
constructively with landlords and residents to bring properties back into use, the council is committed to providing disincentives for
properties to be left empty, such as applying the maximum permissible council tax premium, and through enforcement action where
property owners are unwilling or unable to bring their homes back into use.

There are a number of means to bring empty homes back into use from informal measures to the use of enforcement powers, which
includes Enforced Sales, Empty Dwelling Management Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders. Many of these are extremely
complex and time consuming and while we will not shy away from pursuing such measures where necessary, we will also lobby for
simplification of the powers, and for further powers and funding to enable further action to be taken.

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Taking a zero tolerance approach to long term empty private sector
homes
Action Officer lead CMT lead Targets Comments PRAG
Use of council tax powers
Continue not to offer council tax Norman Clive In As introduced in April 2016 Complete
discounts on empty and Lockie, Head Palfreyman operation
unfurnished homes. The full of Income
charge is payable unless they are Operations
exempt.
Continue to apply a 100% Norman Clive In As introduced in April 2019 Complete
additional council tax premium for Lockie, Head Palfreyman operation
properties empty for over 2 years of Income
Operations
Start to apply the 100% additional Norman Clive April 2024 As detailed in the Cabinet Report “The On track
council tax premium for properties Lockie, Head Palfreyman Council Tax Base for 2024-25” from 5th
empty for over 1 year (double of Income December 2023
council tax utilising new powers in Operations
the Levelling Up and
Regeneration Act 2023).
Contact property owners of Norman Clive December On track
homes vacant for between nine Lockie, Head Palfreyman 2024
months and a year to remind of Income
them of the upcoming one year Operations
premium and to sign post towards
advice to help bring properties
back into use.
Continue to apply a 200% Norman Clive In As introduced in April 2020 Complete
additional council tax premium for Lockie, Head Palfreyman operation
those empty for over 5 years of Income
Operations

9
Continue to apply a 300% Norman Clive In As introduced in April 2021 Complete
additional council tax premium for Lockie, Head Palfreyman operation
those empty for over 10 years of Income
Operations
Start to charge a 100% premium Norman Clive April 2024 To advertise the determination a year On track
on furnished empty and second Lockie, Head Palfreyman prior to implementation as required by
homes by April 2025 (utilising of Income law
new powers in the Levelling Up Operations April 2025 Implement the new premium
and Regeneration Act 2023).
Further consider use of Empty
Dwelling Management Orders
(EDMOs)
Explore use of EDMOs for Sajda Munshi, Strategic April 2023 36. Officers met with a number of Complete
properties which are empty for PSH & Director of local authorities. It is clear that
over two years Adaptations Housing implementing EDMOs (Empty
Manager Dwelling Management Orders) poses
significant challenges. This includes
but is not limited to: a substantial
workload due to the complexity,
numerous exclusions, risk of cases
being overturned at the Residential
Property Tribunal (RPT), challenges
working with the owners, who can
apply to end the EDMO at any time.
We also have to obtain their consent
before for letting a property which is
difficult is owners are untraceable or
uncooperative. There are also issues
with substantial repairs costs. The
recovery of costs is uncertain, with the
majority only becoming recoverable
upon the future sale of the property.
As a result, unless changes are made
nationally, we have decided to focus
on using alternative means to bring

10
 homes back into use and powers of
enforcement such as CPO’s.
Use of compulsory purchase
order (CPO) powers where
other options have failed
Creation of an ‘Empty Homes Strategic April 2022 A capital allocation of £2m was agreed Complete
CPO Fund’ dedicated to Director of by Cabinet in March 2022 to provide
deployment where all other Housing / Clive funding to compulsory purchase
options have failed to bring empty Palfreyman (CPO) long-term empty homes. This
homes back into use will be a revolving fund as costs will be
recouped from the sale of the
properties.
Use of CPO for longer-term Sajda Munshi Strategic Ongoing The existing Compulsory Purchase Ongoing
empty homes that are having a PSH & Director of Order (CPO) policy is under review.
significant environmental impact Adaptations Housing Eight vacant, long-term properties have
Manager been identified for assessment and
corporate surveyors are currently
evaluating them. A comprehensive
assessment of the identified properties
will be conducted to establish a priority
order for addressing them. Two
properties will be identified for targeted
intervention. Authorisation will be
sought for purchase by agreement to
the property owners, contingent upon
the owner being contactable, as this
streamlines the process, preventing the
need for a CPO and expediting
proceeding. If purchase by agreement
proves unattainable due to
uncontactable or uncooperative
owners, a CPO will be pursued.
Use of enforcement powers
Using enforcement powers as Emma Trott, Strategic Ongoing Where an empty property is causing a Ongoing
appropriate where an empty Housing Director of statutory nuisance to a neighbouring
property is a statutory nuisance – Enforcement Environment, property the Housing Enforcement
11
linking landlords to other support & Licensing Neighbourhoods service can take formal action to
and options available to bring Manager and Growth require the owner to resolve the
properties back into use. problem causing the nuisance. For
example this could be a leaking roof
near a party wall which is making the
wall damp within the neighbouring
property. This action cannot require
the owner to bring their property back
into use but will ensure they are taking
responsibility for any nuisance caused
to neighbouring properties. To fall
within the definition of statutory
nuisance, an issue needs to be:
• a nuisance
• posing a threat to health
One property in 2022/23 was served a
notice for a statutory nuisance which
the council prosecuted against for
non-compliance. There is currently
one live case in 2024.

Working with residents and property owners to quickly bring empty

private sector homes back in to use
Action Officer lead CMT lead Targets Comments PRAG
Explore offering enhanced
grants tied to long-term leasing
Review levels of grant and loans Sajda Strategic October The review completed. The outcome Complete
offered to property owners to help Munshi, PSH Director of 2021 of the review was that individual grants
bring homes back in to use & Adaptations Housing & loans needed to increase to take
Manager account of the increase in building
Dave costs and to incentivise
Hodgson,

12
 Director of landlords/property owners to complete
Asset repairs/ improvements.
Management
Review funding for grants and Sajda Strategic March The review completed and these Complete
loans as required Munshi, PSH Director of 2022 changes and additional funding were
& Adaptations Housing agreed by Cabinet in March 2022.
Manager Cabinet agreed to increase the annual
capital funding available for grants to
refurbish empty homes from £95k to
£400k, and to increase the annual
capital funding available for loans to
refurbish empty homes from £62k to
£700k. To support the expanded
programme two additional officers will
be recruited. Further details are in
paragraphs 22-26 of the report.
To publish an enhanced offer for Sajda Strategic December Complete Complete
grants and loans by the end of the Munshi, PSH Director of 2022
year. & Adaptations Housing
Manager
Incentivise property owners to
let their homes through the
council’s social lettings agency
to homeless families4
Develop a standard maximum Karen Shaw, Strategic December Grant levels have been publicised. On target
offer of how much we will pay for Head of Director of 2022 Articles have been included in
renting empty properties, Housing Housing Resident E-News, Southwark Life and
expectations of rents, letting terms Solutions information has been updated on the
etc. and publicise all the benefits Southwark website. Information is
that are available as part of the shared with empty home property

4 The social lettings agency offers a guaranteed rent paid even if the property is empty, regular property visits to ensure the tenant is looking after it, a lease of up
to five years, full management of all tenant issues including day to day repairs, guaranteed vacant possession at the end of the lease, and no fees or charge for the
service. Please see this webpage for more information about the social lettings agency. https://www.southwark.gov.uk/home-owners-services/private-home-
owners-and-landlords/earn-money-from-your-property
13
offer, through a variety of media owners as they are identified by
channels. council tax. A joint leaflet was
produced.

Introduce new Private Rented Emma Trott, Strategic Phase 1 Phase 1 of the new Private Rented Complete
Sector Licensing Schemes to Housing Director of licensing Sector Licensing Schemes were
include an exemption for Enforcement Environment, schemes approved by cabinet on 19/10/2021.
properties let via the council's & Licensing Neighbourhoods and Gold The schemes include HMO licensing
social lettings agency. The Manager and Growth Standard borough wide and selective licensing
landlord can let their property Charter - for single family properties in 5 wards
through the agency and receive March and started on 1 March 2022.
guaranteed rent without having to 2022
apply and pay for a license acting Phase 2 of the new Private Rented
as an additional incentive for Phase 2 Sector Licensing Schemes were
landlords to sign up to the agency. licensing approved by cabinet on 6/12/2022 and
The exemption should be schemes - approved by DLUHC in May 2023. The
highlighted in promotional November schemes started on 1 November 2023
materials for the agency. 2023 and include selective licensing for
single family properties in a further 14
Introduce a Gold Standard wards.
Charter Membership Scheme to
recognise good landlords. The All new schemes include the
scheme should also offer an exemption for properties let via the
additional discount to licensing council's social lettings agency.
fees for any member who has
signed up to the Council's Finder's The Gold Standard Charter offers 50%
Fee Scheme. off of part B of the licensing fee for
members signed up to the Finder's
Fee scheme.
Use council tax empty homes Norman Clive Quarterly, A new process has been formalised Ongoing
information to identify newly Lockie, Head Palfreyman starting where council tax run the reports and
developed homes which are of Income with a new the data is used to identify newly
sitting empty Operations formal developed properties which are vacant
process and potentially available for let. This is
from
14
 October then shared with council officers in the
2021 regeneration team.

Contact developers of newly Neil Kirby, Steve Platts Quarterly On receipt of the council tax Ongoing
developed empty homes with the Head of information, regeneration officers will
offer of leasing to the council to let Sustainable contact the developers of new units to
to homeless households. Growth, understand the reasons for any
Karen Shaw , Strategic vacancies and to suggest leasing to
Head of Director of the council on standard terms and
Housing Housing rents.
Solutions

Raise awareness and provide

advice on options to bring
properties back in to use
Organise an empty homes Louise Althea Loderick October We will use all appropriate and Ongoing
publicity drive, as part of the Neilan, Head 2021 effective council channels to ensure
housing crisis campaign of External the public are aware of:
Affairs • how to report empty homes,
• the costs of leaving homes empty,
both to owners and the wider
community
• incentives to bring properties back
into use
Improve the council’s web pages Sajda Strategic October Complete Complete
on the support and assistance for Munshi, PSH Director of 2021
bringing empty homes back into & Adaptations Housing
use including better linking to the Manager,
information about council tax Richard
premiums which will be charged Selley,
as per the next action Director of
Customer
Experience
Ensure the council’s council tax Laurence Clive October A web link has been inserted to ensure Complete
webpages about empty properties Fleming Palfreyman 2021 a joined up approach.

15
and second home discounts links Service
to the webpage above about Development
bringing empty properties back Officer
into use. Richard
Selley,
Director of
Customer
Experience
Making it easier to report empty
homes
Establish an empty homes Dominic Cain Clive October There is an existing empty homes Complete
reporting telephone line through Director of Palfreyman 2021 reporting telephone number. A new
the council’ switchboard Exchequer flowchart has been provided to help
the call centre better assign calls to
the appropriate team. We will continue
to explore methods to make reporting
of empty homes easier.
Improve options for the reporting Dominic Cain Clive November The existing web form is in place and Ongoing
of empty homes online and via Director of Palfreyman 2021 receives hits daily. The Digital team
email Exchequer will work with Resident Services to
review the web form. Amendments to
the page and appropriate automatic
routing will be constructed where
appropriate. The review will explore
automatic filtering to the correct team.
A process map and scoping is
required to explore other options.
Longer term actions could include an
online app for reporting empty
homes. There are currently similar
apps on the market so the council will
explore whether it is beneficial to
purchase an app or develop a new
app.

16
Improving our understanding of private sector empty homes to
better target action and support
Action Officer lead CMT lead Targets Comments PRAG
Improve the data on empty homes
Contact owners of empty homes on Norman Clive December An empty homes audit was completed. Complete
the council tax database to improve Lockie, Head Palfreyman 2021 Owners of empty homes were contacted
our understanding of the reasons for of Income to check if the property was still empty,
this, and what additional support Operations why, and what additional assistance
would help return the property to may be required to bring the property
use. back into use. The council has received
the final report. More than 2,000 owners
of empty properties were surveyed to
find out why homes were empty, future
intentions concerning the property, and
support required from the council. There
were 290 responses received to the
survey - a 14% response rate, which is
positive in terms of this type of survey.
54% indicated that the home was not
empty or being used as a second home.
Of the owners that said the home was
empty 34% indicated that they will be
selling the property. 48% of owners
indicated that work was needed before
selling or letting the home.

In 2023 5,540 correspondence was sent

out to empty home owners.
Approximately 580 responded, this led
to 199 having empty status removed.
The top changes were 71 properties
were rented out, 63 owners had moved

17
 back in to their properties, 12 properties
had been sold and 6 were awaiting sale.
Conducting pilots exercise to Norman Clive TBC This action was agreed in response to Ongoing
improve the reporting of empty Lockie, Head Palfreyman the survey above. Following this the
homes. of Income council has:
Operations • Run a targeted campaign against 450
properties empty for longer than 6
months. 103 responses have been
received so far and the results are being
analysed. This has been in conjunction
with the empty property team
• Used the temporary accommodation
income database to understand which
LBS properties are being used for this
purpose and whether or not it ties in with
Council Tax data
• The council has introduced an
automated process to identify owners of
empty property who stop paying and
then contact them to identify the reasons
and offer help where appropriate.
• Council tax are working with
Ascendant Solutions to identify
properties recorded as empty which may
no longer be empty. This utilises real
time sales and rental transactions data
from various sources in real time to
show changes at previously empty
property.

18
 A new empty homes board
Introduce a cross council empty Robert Strategic May 2021 The board has been set up and has met Complete
homes board to meet bi-annually to Weallans, Director of a number of times to agree this action
agree and review the action plan Housing Housing plan and to coordinate workstreams
Strategy across the council. The board will
Manager continue to meet to review the action
plan as required and to monitor progress
towards delivery of the actions, and to
track the number of empty homes.

Campaigning for more resources and more effective powers to

tackle empty homes in the private sector
In recognition of the limited powers the council has to tackle empty homes, the council will campaign for the following changes to
legislation and national policy, working with the Mayor of London and London Councils.

Action Officer lead CMT Targets Comments PRAG

lead
Establish a thorough, consistent and Joseph Brown Althea Ongoing The Corporate Public Affairs Plan is in Ongoing
long term public affairs plan, Cabinet & Loderick place. They are producing a script
engaging both the Mayor of London, Public Affairs for those speaking to key external
Greater London Assembly and Manager people. This will be sent out to the
London Councils in order to influence Directors Forum imminently.
government policy towards empty Current asks include:
homes and relevant local authority • Cost effective enforcement powers,
powers such as simplifying EDMO and CPO
procedures, such as allowing for
community impact and housing
need to be accepted reasons to
seek enforcement actions.
• New planning powers to allow Local
Authorities to revert property to local
authority’s affordable housing
19
 supply where it remains empty
following completion. Current
planning powers do not allow for
planning consent to require homes
to be occupied. If new powers are
introduced the council will quickly
implement these new powers.
• Greater flexibility over council tax
premiums on empty homes -
Government should allow unlimited
council tax premiums on empty
homes.
• We had been calling for greater
flexibility to enable local authorities
to charge the premium on homes
empty for less than 2 years, as well
as the ability to charge premiums on
second homes and other furnished
empty properties. These changes
were included in the Levelling Up
and Regeneration Act 2023.
• Increased resources for grants and
loans
Work with partners from across the Joseph Brown Althea Ongoing The council has reached out to Action Ongoing
third sector to support and develop Cabinet & Loderick on Empty Homes and the council
policy, campaigns and relevant other Public Affairs remains keen to work together where
work streams, including organisations Manager possible.
such as Action on Empty Homes
Ensure any related government Perry Singh, Strategic As required The council has met with MHCLG and On target
consultation responses set out our Strategy and Director DWP to discuss the issues with powers
clear asks Business of such as CPOs and EDMOs and
Support Housing remains in dialogue on these issues.
Manager The lobbying points will be used in all
housing consultations as appropriate.

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PART 2 – REDUCING THE NUMBER OF
EMPTY COUNCIL HOMES
While the issue of empty homes is concentrated in the private sector, about a quarter of empty homes have Southwark Council as the
primary liable party for the council tax. The vast majority of these are related to ongoing estate redevelopment, major refurbishment,
disposal or non-housing use. This includes properties built for sale as part of new homes programme (such as shared ownership
properties).

According to the December 2023 council tax records there were 1,949 empty properties where the council was recorded as the primary
liable party for the council tax (not just council rented).

As of December 2023 there were 227 active general needs voids, 87 of which were minor voids and 140 were major voids. Most of
these are in work in progress. The vast majority of voids are non active voids. According to the Voids Team records there were 1,098 non
active general needs voids (after cleansing the awaiting demolition figures) broken down as follows:

Demolition Disposal Refurbishment Other5 Total

and FRA type
4 safety works

Total 866 37 148 47 1,098

Most of the non-active voids are involved with major regeneration schemes or where major investment or fire safety work is required. With
the regeneration voids, some of the properties are effectively uninhabitable but there are strict rules about what can be removed from the
council tax property list on which these figures are based. Many of these are expected to be removed from the figures shortly once
demolition gets underway. Some of the key examples of these regeneration or structural issue voids are:

• Aylesbury Estate – The vast majority of the long term empty properties are linked to the Aylesbury Estate regeneration. In
January 2024 this accounted for 713 voids of which 600 were vacant for over two years. This regeneration has run in phases

5 Other (most of these are used as short term emergency accommodation TA by legal disrepair, area management, cleaners mess room etc)
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 which has resulted in many homes needing to be vacated and sitting vacant prior to demolition. To reduce the number of
vacant homes some of these homes have been used as temporary accommodation. The majority of the voids are in Padbury,
Wendover, Winslow and Ravenstone as this is the next phase of the regeneration (phase 2b) for which the council are obliged
to provide vacant possession to Notting Hill Genesis. The rehousing and purchasing of leasehold properties can take a very
long time and it has not been possible historically to move all tenants simultaneously into new homes. Vacant properties are
being used for temporary accommodation where possible.
• Ledbury – Ledbury - In 2021 due to structural issues, in consultation with residents a decision was made to demolish the four
tower blocks at Ledbury Estate, consisting of 224 homes. The tower at Bromyard House has now been demolished and work
has commenced to provide 45 council homes, 15 homes for leaseholders and 20 private for sale units, as part of Phase 1.
The work is scheduled to complete in April 2026. The three remaining towers form Phase 2 of the project, and there are
currently 20 secure tenants, 15 leaseholders and 104 temporary accommodation residents across the three towers, leaving
29 void properties. Once Phase 1 is complete, the 20 tenants and 15 leaseholders will relocate to Phase 1, those in
temporary accommodation will need to be re-housed and work will then commence on Phase 2, to provide 215 council homes
and 65 private for sale, due for completion in May 2030.
• Tustin Estate and Hillbeck Close Estates - In March 2021, residents voted in favour of demolishing and rebuilding the low-rise
buildings in a residents’ ballot. The programme comprises the demolition of 249 homes (200 council rented and 49 leasehold)
• Maydew House – This comprises of 143 units which were vacated by the Council between 2010 and 2015 in order to facilitate
a programme of asbestos removal, heating works and replacement of bathrooms and kitchens which was determined too
intrusive to carry out with residents in situ. Following an options appraisal in 2011, further consultation led to a decision in
2012 to undertake a major refurbishment. In 2018 planning permission was granted to refurbish the building and add 5
storeys of accommodation on the roof. Following procurement, a contractor was appointed to finalise the costings and design
in 2020. During this period, further surveys identified additional structural and fire prevention issues which needed to be
addressed in the works contract. Cabinet approved the demolition of Maydew House in February 2023. A demolition
contractor has been appointed and works are due to commence in April and will take 55 weeks to complete. Following the
demolition we will be looking at providing new housing on the site.
• Marie Curie – In May 2021, the council informed residents in Marie Curie that they needed to move out to carry out major
essential works, including fire safety improvements to their homes and block. Marie Curie is a 16 storey block of 98 two
bedroomed maisonettes. In January 2024 this accounted for 77 voids.

The council is keen to make best use of these empty properties. It conducts frequent review of empty homes on regeneration schemes to
ensure empty properties are used as temporary accommodation for as long as possible. Where there are delays to the programme, the
temporary accommodation strategy for the scheme is reviewed and additional homes brought back into use.

The action plan contains targets to return council homes to use. The monitored target for major voids for 2023/24 is based on new voids. In
December 2023 this was running at 101.68 days against a target of 100 days. The previous target in the action plan was against all major

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voids. This is running at 184 days. Letting some of the long standing major voids affects turnaround time. 2 new contractors have been
brought in to deal with backlog.

The monitored target for minor voids for 2023/24 is based on new voids. As of December, this was running at 71 days against a target of
less than 28 days. The overall average for minor voids is running at 77.91 days.

Between April 2023 and December 2023 161 minor voids and 312, major voids were let. There were also 40 non active, 210 new build/ buy
backs and 44 sheltered lets. Therefore there was a total of 767 lets. There were an additional 515 temporary accommodation estate voids
lets.

Voids remain a priority and works are monitored closely to ensure properties are turned around as quickly as possible.

The optimum number of all voids should be rolling at about 100. Therefore the council is working hard to reduce the number of voids.
Actions to reduce the number of council empty homes includes:
• Working with contractors to ensure all empty homes are brought back into use. Two additional contractors have been brought in
to focus on complex long standing and Temporary Accommodation voids. A new KPI for Contractor’s performance monitoring has
been developed to ensure targets are met.
• Managing the impact of an anticipated 450 additional new homes programme voids.
• Continuing to review regeneration projects to maximise the use of our stock and ensure properties are used as TA where
demolition/development work is not imminent.
• Rolling out a new IT system, as part of the repairs improvement plan. This will allow for enhanced functions for monitoring
works from specifications through to completions, including detailed monitoring on financial completions.
• There are over 40 sheltered voids awaiting let. We are raising the profile of sheltered voids, and increasing take up by
improvements and service upgrades to the schemes including improving digital accessibility and assistive technology. The
council is also making direct offers to homeless households where appropriate.
• A reduction of work in progress voids
• Reviewing key to key time including a review of processes, work content, roles and responsibilities, resources etc
• A contractor management review driving improved contractor controls and commercial performance.
• Restructuring the voids service to return to a ‘one’ manager service provision, centralised under Asset Management. This will
aid capacity and direction, and negate the need for hand offs.
• Reviewing the lettable standard, decorations are no longer carried out in General Needs or Temporary Accommodation
properties. Instead, decoration packs are given to each new householder. Sheltered housing and Extra Care properties
continue to be decorated
• Increased resources, as it is anticipated that there will be an estimated two years’ worth of voids in a 12 month period, a
number of extra voids works contracts were let in October 2023. This significantly increased the contractor resource to deliver
the service.
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 • Improving processes to delay new build properties being added to the VOA database through more accurate completion
notices, and to ensure properties are removed where demolition notices are in place, or exempted where possible, on
regeneration schemes. This includes gathering information on the demolition notice or refurbishment, the occupancy rates
and access to the building where they are already empty.
• Disposing some long term voids - The disposal of a number of long term empty council properties is due to be officially
agreed by February 2024. The disposals programme will remove about 20 long term empty council properties.

Reducing the number of empty council homes

Action Officer lead CMT Targets Comments PRAG
lead
Setting targets for returning
empty council homes (‘voids’) to
use
Average relet time, void date to let Cheryl Strategic 2023/24 The monitored target for major voids for Amber
date (calendar days) new major Russell, Director 2023/24 is based on new voids. In
voids general needs voids <100 Director of of December 2023 this was running at
Resident Housing 101.68 days against a target of 100 days.
Services
The previous target in the action plan was
against all major voids. This is running at
184 days. The performance on these are
still being affected by the impacts of the
covid pandemic. 2 new contractors have
been brought in to deal with backlog.

Voids remain a priority and works are

monitored closely to ensure properties are
turned around as quickly as possible.
Please see the text above for details on
our plans to address this.

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Average relet times, void date to let Cheryl Strategic 2023/24 The monitored target for minor voids for Red
date (calendar days) new minor Russell, Director 2023/24 is based on new voids. As of
general needs voids <28 days Director of of December, this was running at 71 days.
Resident Housing
Services The overall average for minor voids is
running at 77.91 days.

Please see the text above for details on

our plans to address this.
Maximise use of empty homes
designated for redevelopment
Review use of lettings on the Abi Strategic Ongoing All properties on regenerations schemes Ongoing
Aylesbury Estates and Ledbury Oguntokun, Director are reviewed on an ongoing basis
redevelopment as part of the empty Area Manager of responding to any potential changes in
homes awaiting redevelopment in Housing phasing.
the Temporary Accommodation
Supply Action Plan

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