The government has promised reforms to give councils extra powers, but the details remain vague.
North Somerset Council said it wants extra powers to force the sale of problematic properties, and wants court processes to be streamlined.
A coalition of 25 housing organisations wrote an open letter to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook in February demanding a National Empty Homes Strategy.
Proposals include a funded local authority duty to act on long-term empty home complaints, a national loan scheme and acquisition fund, and ringfencing of council tax premium income for housing initiatives.
Bailey, of Action on Empty Homes, said that council tax penalties introduced in the last few years for empty homes “don’t seem to be working”.
“Effective powers and investment, that is what we’re calling for,” he said, pointing to a 2024 plan by housing charity Shelter to turn 10,500 empty homes into social rent homes, which is greener and cheaper than building homes.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government did not provide any extra detail on plans to give councils more powers.
