Council Faces Pressure Over 3,524 Empty Homes

More than 3,000 homes in Reading are empty - council data shows 3,524 unoccupied in June, of which 1,086 were long-term empty (unfurnished for six months or more).

Properties can be empty for various reasons, commonly because they are on the market. Council-owned homes can also be vacant during refurbishment.

At a full council meeting, Green councillor Rob White (Park) warned: "Reading is in a housing crisis." He asked what dedicated resources the council has to tackle empty homes, what action is taken when owners repeatedly fail to bring long-term empties back into use, and what will replace the Empty Homes Strategy when it ends in 2026.

Matt Yeo, lead councillor for housing (Labour, Caversham), said the council has a private sector housing team under its public protection department. While they are not full-time staff members, they have powers to recover debts through the Law of Property Act 1925, make compulsory purchase orders through the Acquisition of Land Act 1981, and use Empty Dwelling Management Orders under the Housing Act 2004.

"Owners that are unwilling or unable to bring their homes back into use through informal or enabling approaches are forewarned of those three Secondary Enforcement Powers which are set out in the council's Empty Homes Strategy.

"The government announced on September 27 reforms to Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs), supporting councils to bring more long-term empty homes back into use and helping ensure existing housing stock is used more effectively.

"The changes will reduce the period a property must be empty before it becomes eligible for an EDMO from two years to six months, allowing councils to act sooner where homes have been left vacant and preventing properties from falling into serious disrepair."

The answer was given at a full council meeting on October 13.

The council also charges a premium council tax for empty homes and second homes, raising £1,320,852.69 from empty homes and £823,636.53 from second homes this year.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter