Call to owners of empty homes in Exeter to bring them back into use

Published: 21 February 2023

The City Council is marking the start of National Empty Homes Week by urging owners of empty properties to bring them back into use.

In 2022 the number of homes in Exeter that have been empty for more than six months rose to 537. Nationally, the latest government data shows that the number of properties empty for more than six months rose by 5% to 248,633.

Homes left empty for a long time can be a blight on the local area and sometimes attract anti-social behaviour. The Council wants to work with empty property owners to bring them back into use and help with the local housing shortage.

There can be complex reasons why a home may be left empty, but there are local incentives to help turn an empty house into someone’s home.

The Council works in partnership with Lendology CIC, a Social Enterprise Lender, to provide council funded empty property loans to homeowners.  The loan scheme allows homeowners to spread the cost of completing a renovation project.

Lendology are able to consider applications from individuals who may have inherited a property but be unsure how to bring it back into use, through to companies converting a portfolio of properties. 

Cllr Martin Pearce, Lead Councillor for Communities & Homelessness Prevention said: “With a housing shortage that everyone is aware of it is very important that we do everything we can to ensure that empty homes in the city are brought back into use as soon as it possible to do so.”

Emma Lower, CEO of Lendology, said: “Empty homes are a valuable resource being put to waste at a time when housing is so important. We understand the challenges people face in financing and renovating empty homes, and a lot of homeowners are unaware of the lending scheme funded by Exeter City Council.  Our unique approach to lending allows us to solve a range of finance issues in local communities and we love turning empty houses into loved homes”.

For more information about the loan scheme, visit www.lendology.org.uk or call Lendology on 01823 461099. 

The Council’s Private Sector Housing Team can offer advice and information on the options available to help bring homes back into use. The Council’s preferred approach is to engage with and encourage owners to bring a property back in to use. But it can consider enforcement action where someone is unable or unwilling to bring a home back into use.

For more information on empty homes, or to report an empty property, visit https://exeter.gov.uk/housing/empty-homes-service/report-an-empty-home/

For help and advice on empty homes contact Environmental Health on 01392 265147.