Empty Properties

Swindon is an area of high housing demand. An empty property represents both a missed opportunity for the owner to gain an income from renting or to realise capital from this asset. It is also a waste of a valuable resource for the wider community.  Empty properties can become the focus of illegal activity such as fly tipping, drug use, and are often squatted. An empty property may quickly become a blight on the local community that is very difficult to resolve.  

Swindon Borough Council is committed to bringing empty properties back into use, and can call on a wide range of powers to help in this aim:

• The Council can offer grants to refurbish empty properties so that they can be used by the borough's homeless.
• We can put owners in touch with other agencies that may help.  This includes a comprehensive leasing scheme.
• We can advise on such things as Building Control and Planning obligations.
• As a last resort, we also have the power to serve Legal Notices to require works to be done to make the property Fit for Human Habitation.
• We can carry out works in default of the above Notice, and recover the costs incurred from the owner.
• We can enforce the sale of the property to recover our costs.
• We can have the property boarded up at the owner's expense.
• We can also pursue Compulsory Purchase of the property, taking possession of the empty property with or without the owner's consent.

We will always endeavour to work with owners of empty properties to arrive at a mutually acceptable outcome, but ultimately the Council will use all of its powers, in a reasoned and proportional way, to enforce the return of the property to housing supply.