A council has pledged to combat the problem of homes left empty by working with owners and enforcing sales.
East Suffolk Council’s cabinet unanimously agreed to take action as the number of long-term empty homes in the district reached 292 in December.
Long-term empty homes are those without occupants or furniture for two or more years.
Of the 292 in East Suffolk, 120 have been empty for more than five years.
The council will take action on homes that are empty for six months or more.
Speaking at a council meeting on Tuesday, January 3, Cllr Richard Kerry, cabinet member for housing, said: “These new policies provide a consistent approach to dealing with the issue of empty homes.
“They include a scoring matrix, which enables us to prioritise and target homes appropriately.”
Action will start with the homes that have been empty for at least six months which are deemed highest priority.
Priority is based on factors such as how long the home has been empty, its state of disrepair, the number of complaints it has caused, housing need in the area and whether it has been subjected to anti-social behaviour.
The council will contact owners and attempt to work with them to bring it back into use.
If the owner does not reply or cooperate, it may force the sale of the home.
Residents will be able to report suspected empty homes through the council’s customer service team.
Cllr Steve Gallant, council leader, said: "This is the right thing to do.
"We have discussed the issue of empty homes many times before, so we know it is an important problem.
"It is not just about the fact these houses are empty but also about the state of disrepair many are in.
"This causes consternation for local communities and officers."
Cllr Peter Byatt, part of the Labour opposition in council, commended the policies but questioned whether a maximum time of 24 months to bring homes back into use was fast enough.
Officers explained this time can vary vastly and just finding owners for some homes can be a long process.
According to statistics by campaign group Action on Empty Homes, most Suffolk districts and boroughs experienced a decline in long-term empty properties between 2021 and 2022 – while East Suffolk saw a 26% increase.
Numbers fell in Babergh, Mid Suffolk and Ipswich; West Suffolk saw a 15% increase.
The number of long-term empty homes in the UK increased by five percent to just over 248,600 in 2022, when compared with 2021.
An empty homes officer was recruited by East Suffolk Council in April 2022 to take control of a three-year programme combatting the issue.
In December 2022, a £20,000 government grant to be split between Suffolk’s councils to increase the availability of affordable housing was announced.
Councillors suggested returning empty homes to use as a potential way to spend this grant, although East Suffolk Cllr David Beavan questioned whether the money was enough and suggested the focus should be on social housing.
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