Question follow-through · 6686
Empty Property
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing local authorities to (a) buy unoccupied housing in longstanding disrepair at a reduced rate and
About this written question
A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.
- Answering body
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Tabled
- 4 Oct 2024
- Target answer date
- 8 Oct 2024
- Answer
- 14 Oct 2024 · 10 calendar days after tabling
Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.
More questions by this MP on Communities and local government
- Social Rented Housing: Nuneaton · 22 Oct 2024
- Gazumping · 25 Nov 2024
- Local Government: Complaints · 3 Jun 2025
Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.
Recorded timeline
4 Oct 2024
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing local authorities to (a) buy unoccupied housing in longstanding disrepair at a reduced rate and
8 Oct 2024
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
14 Oct 2024
Answer published
An answer was published; the current text is shown with its later correction below.
5 Dec 2024
Answer corrected
Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum p...
Official data retrieved 27 Sept 2026.
Later records
Possible follow-up questions
Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.
Social Rented Housing: Nuneaton
22 Oct 2024 · To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to increase the supply of social housing in Nuneaton constituency.
Gazumping
25 Nov 2024 · To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the practice of gazumping; and whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of voluntary reservation agreements in reside
Local Government: Complaints
3 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help ensure that councils are accountable to their constituents during complaints processes.