Over 90 empty homes have been brought back into use by Rotherham Council since 2021 following the introduction of the Council’s first empty homes officer.
Rotherham Council is raising awareness about the impact empty homes can have on communities this Empty Homes Week and urging residents to report long-term empty homes.
The charity, Action on Empty Homes has reported that the number of long-term empty homes across England has increased in 2024 to 265,061 which equates to 2.8% of all properties being empty long-term. This is the highest figure since 2011.
Rotherham continues to remain below this national figure with 2.65% of properties empty.
The Council is aware that empty homes can have a negative impact on the community and is committed to helping bring these properties back into use to provide much needed homes while creating cleaner, greener, and safer neighbourhoods.
With over 7,000 families currently waiting for a council home, and hundreds of people facing homelessness, we have pledged to deliver hundreds of new homes across the borough by next year and bringing empty homes back into use is part of this solution.
By bringing empty homes back into use we can help create a more positive impact on the planet and people, as retrofitting existing homes means efficient energy usage, using sustainable materials, and using low-carbon energy.
Since 2021, the Council’s Empty Homes Officer has dealt with over 420 enquiries and helped to bring 91 properties back into use.
One resident said: “The process that I had to go through to sell my home was stressful, but the Council’s Empty Homes Officer made it easier for me. They helped me in many ways, including arranging for the estate agents to visit the property and being with me during valuations to explain the process. As well as helping talk me through various reports and deciding who best to go with.”
Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Sarah Allen, said: “We understand that empty homes can have a negative and problematic impact on communities and believe that it is important to bring empty properties back into use to create cleaner, greener, and safer neighbourhoods.
“Our Empty Homes Plan highlights a variety of ways that we can support and encourage homeowners to bring empty properties back into use. We urge anyone who is struggling to bring a residential empty property back into use, or anyone who knows of an empty property and would like to see it transformed into a home again to contact us.
“Despite there being many reasons as to why a property remains empty, the majority can be brought back into use. Our dedicated team want to work with empty homeowners to provide the necessary support, information, and advice."
To find out more about how the Council can help you with your empty home, visit our website.