Too be classed as ‘long-term empty’ a home has to have been unfurnished and not lived in for over 6 months. This figures is increasing all the time, but as at March 2024, it was 271,000.

These are homes which are empty, possibly long-term, but for which there is a reason we might all understand - the owner is in care…or I prison…or has recently died and the property is held in probate, waiting to be transferred to a beneficiary. As at March 2024, these numbered XXXX

As you probably guess, these are homes that haven’t been unfurnished and empty for longer than 6 months. s at March 2024, these numbered XXXXX

These are homes which are not used as somebody’s primary residence and can be called ‘second homes’. They may certainly, in some circumstances, be used as somebody’s second home in the way we imagine - acting as weekend or holiday homes for their owners. However, increasingly they form somebody’s investment portfolio, left to sit empty, accruing value for their owner. As at March 2024, there were over 263,000 of these.

These are an extension of second homes - homes not used as primary residences but used to make profit by their owners, let for several weeks or months of each year. But blocked from becoming anybody’s home. If a home is turned int a holiday let, in many cases owners ‘flip’ to business rates which are often cheaper than paying council tax. As at March 2024, there were believed to be at least 85,000 of these such dwellings, flipped to business rates.