About our empty homes and the Lettable Standard
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What we do with empty properties, and why:
We know it can be frustrating to see empty properties when people need homes. Here’s what happens and why.
We carefully check every empty property to see what’s needed to make it ready for renting. We aim to repair and relet as many properties as possible, as quickly as possible.
Some properties need major work, which can take time and money. When fixing up a property is expensive for us, we sometimes decide to sell it. This lets us use the money to help more people. The money from these sales helps us maintain, improve, and build homes.
Once a home is ready for a new tenant, we advertise it though choice-based lettings systems, following local authority allocation policies to ensure it goes to those who need it most.
Frequently asked questions about our empty properties:
We don’t want properties to sit vacant either. But every empty home needs to meet our Lettable Standard.
Some take longer because they require structural surveys or extensive repairs, especially if they have or need specialist adaptations. When renovation costs are high, we may sell and reinvest the funds elsewhere.
Some properties also serve as temporary accommodation for tenants whose properties are being repaired.
No. Selling is about using our limited resources wisely and ensuring long-term housing availability. Income from sales supports our business plan, which includes maintaining and improving existing homes and building new ones.
We carefully consider the cost of refurbishment and the community impact before deciding to dispose of a property. In making decisions, we follow a disposal policy and legislation and guidance from the Regulator of Social Housing.
Repairing and reletting properties is our preferred option wherever possible, and our teams work hard to bring homes up to the standard tenants deserve.
The properties sold would have cost more for us to fix than they would bring in rent for the next 30 years, which would be a drain on the overall money we can invest in existing homes.
No. We’re an independent social housing provider dedicated to affordable housing for those who need it most.
While we can’t control who buys a property, all sales are conducted fairly and openly, typically through auctions to ensure the best price. This maximises reinvestment back into services for tenants.
We put terms into the sale of properties to ensure they don’t remain empty and are brought back into use as homes.
We work hard to maintain our properties, but issues like fly-tipping or overgrown gardens can occur.
We’re addressing it through regular inspections and by working with local authorities as appropriate. Unfortunately, some properties are left in poor condition by previous tenants, requiring extra repairs.
When tenants cause damage, we charge them to avoid it impacting others. Tenants can help by reporting issues early, and our Tenancy Support and Sustainment Team is available to assist those needing help maintaining their homes.
Selling a small number of high-cost properties allows us to invest in more sustainable homes. This strategy helps us improve housing supply and reduce waiting times over the long term by focusing on both upgrading existing homes and delivering new builds. Housing shortages are a national issue, and we’re committed to maximising our resources to provide safe, affordable housing for as many people as possible.
We’re providing more new homes than we’re selling or losing through Right to Buy/Acquire, which is vitally important. We also put terms into the sale of properties to ensure they don’t remain empty and are brought back into use as homes. This ensures that even if we sell a property, it continues to contribute to the housing supply.
We’re also investing heavily in maintaining Decent Homes, improving building safety, addressing damp and mould, and reducing carbon emissions. These are priorities. This work helps improve the environmental impact of all existing homes while making them more energy-efficient, healthier, and cheaper to run for tenants.
See our Lettable Standard
Our Lettable Standard describes the condition you can expect your home to be in when you move in. It will be:
- Clean
- Safe
- Secure
Before you move in, we’ll ensure your home doesn’t have any damp or mould. If we find any issues, we’ll treat them, including any damp or mould-related repairs before your tenancy begins. We’ll then stay in contact and monitor for 12 months to ensure no new issues arise.
Tap on the tabs below for details on what we’ll do to ensure your home is clean, safe, and secure:
We will:
- Clean your home and sanitise kitchen and bathroom floors
- Treat any damp or mould
- Remove any debris and rubbish, and strim gardens
- Provide a new shower curtain if your home has a shower
Learn more about housing:
Our website also includes frequently asked questions about how social housing in the UK is allocated and our new build development programme. You can:
Learn about how social housing is allocated
The way social housing in the UK is allocated, and how those decisions are made, is often complex.
Learn about our new build development programme
We're increasing the supply of affordable housing to help ease housing waiting lists, provide more family homes and help customers who want to downsize.
