Census latest figures: Rise in empty homes in Oldham

Some charities and housing groups believe filling empty homes is not enough to tackle housing shortages, instead emphasising the need to build more.

Think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research said home shortages have increased rents and made home ownership unattainable. It urged the building of more houses to "ensure everyone has access to a secure, warm and affordable home".

Census figures from the Office for National Statistics show 4,715 of 97,850 total dwellings in Oldham were unoccupied on census day in March 2021.

It meant 4.8 per cent of the 97,850 total properties in the area were empty – up from 3.6 per cent in 2011, when the last census was undertaken.

In England, the proportion of unoccupied dwellings has soared during the last decade, with 1.5 million (6.1 per cent) empty homes spread across the country – up from 4.2 per cent in 2011.

This means Oldham has a lower property vacancy rate than the country as a whole.

The census took place during the coronavirus pandemic, and the ONS expressed caution that some unoccupied dwelling figures may be inflated due to people living with parents, overseas residents returning home, and other lockdown-related restrictions such as travel.

Many empty properties in ‘poor state of repair’

Benjamin Howarth, founder and managing director of Oldham’s Howarth Housing Group and LIFELINE CIC, said that focussing on empty homes was a mistake.

Benjamin Howarth

He said: “Empty property has been seen, for some time, as the low-hanging fruit – an easy win to gain more homes – but this is simply not the case.

“Many empty properties are in a poor state of repair, coupled with the fact that the data is most likely inaccurate as it doesn’t consider short-term reasons for them being empty, such as waiting on probate or funding for redevelopment.

“The government needs to spend less time looking at empty properties and more time working on a more sustainable home building strategy and a joined-up approach to homelessness and how housing interacts with the primary services such as the NHS and Social services.”

Figures vary across country

The proportion of empty homes varied across the country – London had the most unoccupied dwellings at 8 per cent, while the West Midlands (4.8 per cent) had the lowest.

London also saw the largest rise over the last decade, up from just 3.5 per cent in 2011.

In the North West 206,440 of 3,358,810 total houses (6.1 per cent) were empty.

Polly Neate, chief executive of housing and homelessness charity Shelter, said filling every empty property would not solve the shortage of affordable homes.

“If we can fill empty homes we should, but we will never solve the housing emergency without building a new generation of good quality social homes that local people can afford to live in,” Ms Neate added.

Local politicians respond to figures

Oldham Labour

Cllr Amanda Chadderton, leader of Oldham Council, said: “Oldham Labour has recently taken action to bring empty homes back into use by doubling Council Tax on empty homes in this year’s budget to encourage owners to bring them back into use and running a pilot scheme to lease, repair and let out homes currently standing empty.

“If a resident, or anyone they know, has a home standing empty that could benefit from the Council’s lease and repair scheme please contact Housing.strategyprs@oldham.gov.uk.”

“It is wrong that homes are standing empty while people struggle to find somewhere to buy or rent and Oldham Council has worked with Homes England to run this new scheme.”

Oldham Liberal Democrats

Lib Dem Cllr Howard Sykes said: “How disappointing these figures are but not surprising. 

“You only have to look around some parts of town and you can tell that what should be much-needed homes are empty and some have been empty for some time.

“This is one reason why the Liberal Democrats have always said the Oldham Council should charge the maximum council tax as an incentive for people to sell or rent empty property.

“The council could and should do more to help bring empty properties back into use, it has the powers now to do so, but I see little evidence they are used.  They can force landlords to take action and even take over properties themselves, if they need to.

“If we had fewer empty properties – that usually can provide very cost-effective family housing – we would not need to build as many new houses in Green Belt.

“While the increase in relation to the number of total homes in Oldham borough has increased only increased by 1.3% that might appear small, but in 2011 it was only 3.6% and in 2021 was 4.8% and will be even higher now in 2023.

“So empty homes have increased in that 10-year period by more than 30%.

“This is shocking news and unless someone gets a grip of this, I bet it will increase more. 

“We have thousands on waiting lists to be housed and many others who would love to own or rent these empty properties.

“Any empty property is someone’s home not being used. Council needs to get a grip.”

Housing association committed to ‘tackle shortage’

Housing association First Choice Homes Oldham said it was working to help build homes to help meet demand.

Joel Owen, director of development at First Choice Homes Oldham, said: “We are acutely aware that demand for affordable housing in Oldham, and indeed nationally, far outstrips supply and high selling prices mean many local buyers may struggle to secure a place of their own.

“We are building developments offering a range of tenures to help people to get a foot on the housing ladder at an affordable price.

“We’re committed to tackling the shortage of affordable housing locally and through our Development Strategy we’re working hard to bring forward as many new properties as we can to help meet housing need today and provide homes which are fit for the future.

“We are on track to deliver 1,100 new, affordable, energy efficient properties across a range of tenures in Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside, Kirklees, and Calderdale between 2020 – 2026 to help meet housing need and improve the lives of local people.”

Government responds

The government has urged councils to use their powers to create homes.

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said local councils should be using existing powers to convert empty properties into homes.

They added: “They can increase council tax by up to 300 per cent on long-term empty properties, take over empty homes by Compulsory Purchase Orders and Empty Dwelling Management Orders, and convert commercial buildings to residential without the need for a full planning application.

“We have delivered over 2.2 million homes since 2010 and reduced the number of long-term empty homes by more than 30,000 over the same period.

“We are investing £11.5bn to deliver tens of thousands more affordable homes across the country.”

The Oldham Conservatives were contacted for comment on this story.