MP Gareth Snell welcomes stronger powers to bring empty homes back into use for local families

Gareth Snell, Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Stoke-on Trent Central has welcomed new government proposals to strengthen local authority powers to take over long-term empty and derelict homes, helping to tackle housing need and bring neglected properties back into productive use.

The measures, announced by the Government at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, will make it easier for councils to use Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) to return vacant homes to occupation and provide much-needed housing for local families.

Under the proposed changes, the period a property must be empty before becoming eligible for an EDMO will be reduced from two years to just six months. The Government will also simplify the process by cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and reducing the evidential requirements placed on councils seeking to take action.

Gareth said: “Across the country, families are facing increasing pressure in finding secure and affordable housing, so it cannot be right that so many properties remain empty for prolonged periods.

“By giving councils greater powers to bring these homes back into use, these proposals will help address local housing needs, revitalise neighbourhoods and tackle neglected properties that can undermine community pride.

“This is about more than housing alone. It is about supporting regeneration, improving local areas and ensuring existing homes benefit the people and communities that need them most.”

More than 300,000 homes in England are currently classed as long-term empty, while increasing numbers of families continue to rely on temporary accommodation due to housing shortages.

The Government has also committed to exploring further measures that would reduce the financial burden on councils when managing properties through EDMOs, providing additional support for local authorities seeking to bring vacant homes back into use.