Empty Homes Numbers on the Increase......

.........The number of empty homes in England is increasing because of the downturn in the housing market and a sharp rise in repossessions.We are told the reason why our countryside is being developed to death is due to the shortage of houses. HMG are urging local councils to grant permission to build houses without too much close inspection. Local councils are not inclined to be involved with expensive court costs if they refused developers permission to build. In effect local planning is in the hands of developers, Developers are responsible to their shareholders. Shareholders are not interested in the loss of local amenities, they demand good profits or they invest elsewhere. It is very interesting to read the latest report of the Empty Homes Agency. Their report states over 750,000 houses are, for various reasons, standing empty. The Agency claims that two million people could be housed in these units. David Ireland the charities chief executive, said "At the very time people need more homes, record numbers are falling empty". Subject to the agreement of the Residential Property Tribunal, Local authorities have the power to take empty houses over and rent them out for seven years. Figures from the rest of the UK show there are 78,000 vacant homes in Scotland, 50,000 in Wales and Northern Ireland.