Labour's plan to let councils seize long-vacant homes sparks expert criticism

During the Labour Party Conference the government announced that councils could take control of houses that have been empty for at least six months and lease them for up to seven years. Lead economist Emmanuel Igwe of the Prosperity Institute warns that the proposal does not address the core shortage of new homes, citing that only about 438,000 homes have been built this term against a 1.5 million target. He highlights that England’s empty-home rate has held steady at 1.2 % and that many of the vacant properties are high-value investment units located away from the regions with the greatest demand.

Igwe also points to recent Housing Ombudsman data showing councils are responsible for the majority of repair complaints in social housing. He argues that undermining property owners’ security will deter investment and that reforms such as scrapping stamp duty and loosening planning regulations would better tackle homelessness.