en.Wedoany.com Reported - The UK real estate agency Propertymark recently released a report, pointing out that local governments need special funds to address the issue of vacant properties. The agency's survey shows that only 38% of local councils have developed vacant property strategies, and 41% have dedicated officers responsible for this matter, while there are over 359,000 properties in the UK that have been vacant for more than six months.

Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, stated: "Long-term vacant properties indicate that the system is not operating effectively enough. At a time when housing demand consistently exceeds supply, leaving hundreds of thousands of properties empty is economically and socially unsustainable."

The report emphasizes that many local authorities lack the resources, funding, and strategic frameworks needed to drive change. Douglas added: "Financial penalties alone cannot solve the problem. The effective approach involves sustained local engagement, professional advice, and well-funded vacant property teams that can support owners in bringing properties back into use."

In the report, Propertymark calls on the government and local authorities to take several measures, including collaborating with communities to address the root causes of vacancy, reforming business rates to incentivize reuse, expanding the Welsh Vacant Property Grant Scheme, introducing regeneration investment in areas with high vacancy concentrations, and ensuring every local authority has a clear strategy and dedicated budget for handling vacant properties.

Furthermore, the agency recommends reforming Empty Dwelling Management Orders to allow for earlier intervention and consulting qualified real estate agents to expedite the process of returning vacant properties to the market.

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