Fewer empty properties in the UK

Fewer landlords are leaving properties empty for extended periods of time, an industry expert has claimed.

A spokesperson for the charity the Empty Homes Agency explained that some investors left properties empty because they did not want to become landlords themselves.

However, he added that the number of permanently vacant properties in the UK has now dropped to just 282,000.

The spokesperson added: "The law has progressively hardened against such behaviour. The Housing Act last year was extended to include another power for local authorities to tackle this problem.

"The London boroughs are stepping up their efforts dramatically, especially since a couple of years ago when empty properties became an integral feature of the London housing strategy."

In conclusion, the spokesperson concluded by pointing out that there hade been "a year-on-year downward trend" which should mean that "there will be a return to use for most of these properties" in the near future.

Recently, experts said that higher borrowing costs meant that landlords had to work hard to minimise void periods on their properties.

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