Empty private residential properties

Empty privately-owned residential properties in Enfield could be refurbished and used by residents in need of a home.

You can help by reporting empty homes to us.

It could be a house or flat.

You can also report private properties with squatters.

Report an empty home

Empty homes are targets for anti-social and criminal behaviour.

If you own, live near, or know of an empty property, you can report it online.

Report an empty private property

Do you own an empty home?

If you own an empty residential property, contact us for advice.

Support from us

There are several ways (below) you can get support to make the home liveable.

For example, we could pay some of your refurbishment costs and claim that money back through rents.

Empty home Council Tax premium

While helping others find a home, you could avoid the empty home Council Tax premium. This is a higher Council Tax rate for unoccupied and unfurnished homes. The premium is currently up to 4 times the normal Council Tax rate (depending on how long the home has been left empty).

Help for empty property owners

Renting out your property

If you are actively trying to rent out your empty property, tell us. We could offer you advice to let the home sooner.

We also offer several schemes to encourage owners to make use of empty properties.

For example, you could help us house more of our residents and get:

• guaranteed rent when you sign up for one of our home leasing schemes
• an upfront payment as part of our Landlord Incentive Scheme

Selling your property

For a fast, chain-free, cash-buyer service, you could sell your property to us.

Lower VAT for some renovations

Has the property been empty for at least 2 years? If you are renovating the home, your renovations might be eligible for a reduced rate of VAT (5%). This could substantially lower your costs.

Our seamless project management

If your empty property can be let, you could get a steady rental income. We can offer seamless project management to make your property ready to let.

This might include:

• writing a schedule of work for required renovations
• tendering the works to approved contractors
• monitoring the works to completion

Interest-free payment for certain renovations

We could offer to pay the cost of some of the empty home’s renovations.

You would not pay us interest on the money you owe us.

Also, the repayment would be taken from the rent. This means you would get reduced rent payments until the works costs have been repaid.

In return, you would have to agree to lease the home to a tenant chosen by the council for at least 3 years. During this time, you will receive guaranteed rent and a full management service.

Private investors and lists of empty properties

We support owners of empty homes in a variety of ways.

However, the council does not provide access to information about empty properties for private investment.

Also, under the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act, we do not publish or share:

• lists of empty properties
• contact details for owners of empty properties

Enforcing our legal duties to deal with empty homes

As part of our legal duties to bring empty homes back into use, we prefer to work with homeowners.

Homeowners must give a valid reason for the current state of the property. They must also show what they are doing about the empty home.

If they fail to do so, we could:

• make an empty dwelling management order (EDMO) to ensure the home ‘becomes and continues to be occupied’ (Housing Act 2004)
• make a compulsory purchase order (CPO) if we have failed to encourage an owner to bring the property back into use (Housing Act 1985). Once we receive approval from the Secretary of State, we own the property. We could then sell the property.

We could also:

• serve a repair notice on the property for the owner to make repairs within a specific period. If they fail to comply, we can carry out the work and charge the owner.
• enforce a sale when there is an outstanding debt owed to us. We can then take possession of the property and sell it.

How to contact us

To contact our Empty Property team, please email empty.property@enfield.gov.uk.

For more information about empty homes, you can visit Action on Empty Homes or the Empty Homes Network.