The continued existence of several hundred thousand empty properties within the UK is at least in part due to owners not knowing the options available to them, the Empty Homes Agency (EHA) has advised.
Part of the problem is also because some owners do not want to become landlords and let the property out, the EHA added.
The agency estimates that there are currently 282,000 long-term empty homes in England alone.
"The issue is between investment properties being left empty, where people don't want to become landlords themselves, and they don't particularly need to make use of [the property], and there are a lot of properties empty because a different set of people don't know what their options are," commented an EHA spokesperson.
"Given the continual high level of empty properties, coupled with the demand and need for housing, hopefully if current trends continue, there will be a return to use for most of these properties.
"There will be a continual improvement. There is a year-on-year downward trend that has already been happening and it is speeding up," the spokesperson added.
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