In Detail, In Brief: Bringing Empty Homes Back into Use

There are now 2,071 long-term empty homes in Bristol according to data collected by the government. In Bath and North East Somerset 974 are vacant, with a further 631 in South Gloucestershire and 750 in North Somerset.

Across the country more than 300,000 homes have been empty for more than six months.

In 2004 the last Labour government passed a law that allowed councils to take over properties that had been empty for at least six months through an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO). These homes could then be made available for rent for up to eight years.

However, the Tories extended the vacant period to two years in 2011 and as a result very few EDMOs applications are now made, in fact there have been none at all since 2021.

From today (5 November 2026) the rules will be changed, reducing the period back to six months. Swifter action will stop properties falling into disrepair, which can blight the local area.

There will of course be exemptions, these include where the owner is in a care home or is an active member of the Armed Forces.

In August it was revealed that 2,187 families are now in temporary accommodation in our city, a rise of 25% in just a year. So we cannot allow so many empty homes to be left unused.