District Council on-track to bring around 60 empty homes back into use

Around 60 empty homes in South Cambridgeshire will have been brought back into use within two years thanks to District Council efforts. With National Empty Homes Week underway – Councillors are urging private property owners to turn empty houses into homes through sale or rental.

During 2023/24 – 28 South Cambridgeshire properties that were sat un-used and vacant were bought back into use by the District Council. A similar number of turnarounds is expected by the end of the current financial year.

Real support to bring empty homes back into use

Anyone who is looking to turn an old, neglected property into a home may be able to save thousands of pounds in VAT on renovation costs - just by contacting South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Empty Homes Officer.

Home maintenance and improvements are usually charged at the standard rate of 20% VAT. However, the Government offers a 5% VAT rate on renovations for properties that have been unoccupied for more than two years – but were lived in beforehand.

Anyone who has recently purchased, or is about to buy, an empty property which meets these criteria simply needs to contact the Council. The Empty Homes Officer can then provide paperwork needed to confirm the house was unoccupied - triggering a substantial saving.

For example, the Empty Homes Officer provided this paperwork to the owner of a recently purchased bungalow in Hardwick that needed renovating. The bungalow has since been transformed into a family home.

To see if you qualify, email env.health@scambs.gov.uk and provide as much information as possible on the property you have recently purchased or are looking to purchase.

Other recent steps the District Council has taken to bring empty homes back into use include:

• Ensured several severely overgrown and neglected empty homes were issued with Community Protection Warnings – with those ignoring them issued with legally-enforceable Community Protection Notices.
• Supported the owners of two properties that have been empty since 2004 and 2008 to sell them at auction. The first was sold to a builder who is going to turn the property into a family home. The second was sold to a carpenter who will use his skills to turn it into his family home.
• Worked with a Probate Genealogist to successfully trace ownership in several complex cases.

Empty properties have an increased likelihood of arson, theft, damage, squatting and fly tipping. Overgrown brambles, trees, foliage and ivy can cause damage to shared fencing, roofs and gardens. Rodent and vermin infestation is also a risk, particularly if there is a readily available food source.

Meanwhile, the owner of the empty home is losing potential rental revenue and will have to pay costs for rubbish and garden clearance, graffiti removal or boarding up the home. They will also pay increased insurance for an empty or dilapidated property.

Council Tax on empty homes

As part of other efforts to bring local empty homes back into use - Council Tax will be doubled on long-term vacant and second properties in South Cambridgeshire from April 2026.

The aim is to encourage people to sell or rent their properties to tackle the national housing shortfall - which is particularly acute in South Cambridgeshire. Council estimates suggest there are around 2,640 empty homes in the district, and a further 360 second properties.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Cllr Natalie Warren-Green, said: “Bringing empty homes back into use is more than just a housing solution - it’s a step toward stronger, more vibrant communities. Every property that is left empty is wasted potential, while every home we can bring back into use contributes to tackling housing shortages. By making the best use of what we already have, we reduce environmental impact, tackle the housing crisis, and create sustainable healthy homes and vibrant communities."

For more support to help bring an empty property back into use – such as details of the Council’s Shire Homes private sector leasing scheme or its Homes for Ukraine Landlord Incentive Scheme – visit the District Council website.