Manchester City Council’s draft strategy for bringing empty homes back into use has been undergoing a major review, aiming to boost affordable homes across the city, whilst also improving communities by tackling empty homes that can blight an area.
Following a major public consultation, the Council is now acting on feedback to accelerate plans to bring as many long-term empty homes back into active use as possible – proposals that saw strong public backing from residents (83% of the respondents to the recent consultation agreed with the Empty Home Strategy and its vision to bring empty homes back into active use).
There are an estimated 998,000 empty homes currently in the UK, 265,000 of which are considered long-term vacant (empty for six months or more). Multiple reports have shed light on the need for maximum use to be made of available space in lieu of stagnating housebuilding, including calling for mass tenure shifts, use of empty commercial and non-residential buildings and downsizing in order to free up maximum room space.
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Although the number of long-term empty homes in Manchester remains close to an historic low – as the Council has managed to reduce the number more than half since 2013 – every void property is a missed opportunity to provide a family a place to live, reduce homelessness and lessen the burden on temporary accommodation
Feedback from Manchester people has confirmed the impact in the city’s neighbourhoods. 86% of respondents to a recent consultation expressed concern about empty homes (51% very concerned) with the majority also reporting that they had seen empty homes fall into disrepair, become a hotspot for flytipping and safety hazards, and these homes can also attract significant anti-social behaviour.
Empty homes can be reported to the council via online or by contacting emptyhomesteam@manchester.gov.uk. The dedicated Manchester Empty Homes Team, established in November 2024, has already brought 560 empty homes back into use since summer 2024.
The vast number of empty homes are privately owned with complex histories and there are some cases where an owner may have passed away. In such cases, the empty home team will work with genealogy agencies and probate investigators to find next of kin and work with relatives to bring a home back into use. The council has also been working collaboratively with housing providers, voluntary organisations and public services is also a key element of detecting potentially empty or problematic homes to find a positive outcome for the property.
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Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said:
“For more than a decade the Council has worked across the city on long-term interventions to tackle empty homes and open up housing for those that need it most. And while we have achieved lots in that time, bringing empty homes down to a record low, those that remain represent some of the most stubborn – homes that have a complex history and often impact neighbourhoods most. The new and expanded empty homes team have done some great work since November 2024 to bring nearly 600 homes back into use all across the city.
“To think, if we could bring all empty homes back into use, then we could provide more homes for those on the housing register and take pressure off the whole housing system. The potential of making empty homes a thing of the past is huge for Manchester families looking for a place to call home – and a significant part of tackling the housing crisis.
“One of our first lines of defence is local intelligence That’s residents keeping an eye out in their own neighbourhoods and quickly reporting a home they think is empty. We are really keen to hear from you. We can help to remove a blight from your street. It’s never just a property – it could be a lifeline home for someone in need.”
