11,000 homes empty for at least 10 years

MORE than 11,000 homes across the country have been lying empty for at least a decade amid a national housing crisis.

Figures also reveal 60,000 properties have been vacant for two years or more and 23,000 for five years or more.

A total of 216,000 homes across the country have been empty for six months.

Areas with the largest number of homes empty for six months or more were Durham, with 6,502, followed by Leeds with 5,724 and Bradford 4,144. The data was uncovered by the Liberal Democrats, who collected freedom information requests from 275 councils. Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said it was a ‘national scandal’ so many homes were being left empty despite a homelessness crisis.

The research also showed only 19 out of 247 councils that responded have used empty dwelling management orders in the last five years, which give local authorities power to take over properties that have been empty for six months.

A Communities and Local Government department spokesman said the number of empty homes had been brought down by a third since 2010.