BLOG: The ‘empty home snatchers’ – how far should the State go?
Summary
The article criticises a Government proposal to shorten the qualifying period for Empty Dwelling Management Orders from two years to six months, arguing that this would significantly expand state intervention in privately owned empty homes. It notes that existing powers already allow councils to address derelict or problematic properties and suggests the policy would raise concerns about property rights and proportionality.
Why it matters
Residential property surveyors may encounter empty homes in probate, renovation, planning or ownership-dispute scenarios, so changes to EDMO thresholds could affect advice, asset management and local authority intervention risk. The issue also has implications for valuation, compliance and the treatment of underused residential stock.
Key points
- Government proposes reducing the EDMO qualifying period from two years to six months.
- Councils could manage and let empty properties for up to seven years under an EDMO.
- The article argues existing tools already include taxation, compulsory purchase and intervention powers.
- It highlights common reasons a property may be empty for six months without neglect or abandonment.
- The piece frames the proposal as a significant expansion of state control over private property rights.
This is an RPSA summary of a publicly available article. The full content remains with the original publisher.
