The Generation Rent campaign has given its support to a call by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to be given powers to seize long-term empty homes.
Khan made the controversial demand earlier this week. In a demand made in tandem with the Labour leaders of Westminster council, Khan has called for councils to be given the authority to temporarily take over empty homes using established Empty Dwelling Management Orders, which have been restricted in recent years.
The Labour Mayor’s demand comes on top of an existing request for government to allow him, and London borough councils, powers to improve significantly higher taxes on long-term empty properties.
Khan cites one example in Knightsbridge where a property has been empty for almost a decade. He says: “It’s a scandal that so many much-needed homes across London lie vacant in the midst of a housing crisis … This would not only deter absentee international investment, but would free up housing stock across the capital for Londoners. We are also urging ministers to make it easier to allow the temporary take-over of empty homes using Empty Dwelling Management Orders, which have been restricted in recent years.
Now Generation Rent, the pro-tenant activist group, is backing Khan.
Conor O'Shea, the policy and public affairs manager at Generation Rent, says: “As long as people are moving house or refurbishing properties we’ll always have some empty homes, but it’s particularly concerning that the number of long term empty homes in London has increased by 10,000 since 2019, at a time when rents have been surging to historic highs.
“We need to make it more difficult for owners to leave properties empty and deprive locals of much needed homes. A healthier supply of homes will dampen rents which are forcing people on ordinary incomes further out of London.”
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