Simon Writes for LBC: Use It or Lose It — The Case for Bringing Empty Homes Back to Life

We're proud to share that our founder Simon has been published on LBC, making the case that tackling the UK's empty homes crisis should be the number one housing priority for any serious government.

Writing in response to Andy Burnham's pledge to launch the most ambitious council house-building programme since the post-war era, Simon argues that before ploughing money into new builds, Britain must first rescue the homes it already has.

With over 300,000 properties sitting empty for more than a year (the highest figure in over a decade) and more than one million homes not in permanent residential use, the foundations for solving the housing crisis are already there. As Simon writes:

"We're in the midst of a housing crisis while thousands of perfectly good homes sit behind boarded-up windows."

The piece calls on policymakers to send a clear message to absent owners: use it or lose it. Simon outlines a practical path forward, including grants, tax incentives and low-interest refurbishment loans to encourage action, alongside stronger council powers to compel a sale after five years of long-term vacancy where all reasonable efforts to engage owners have failed.

There's an environmental argument too. Refurbishing an existing home produces significantly less carbon than demolishing and rebuilding — making empty homes policy one of the most climate-smart housing interventions available.

With 169,050 children living in temporary accommodation in England at the start of 2025 (the highest number on record) Simon's conclusion is clear: a truly ambitious Housing First programme must begin by bringing the hundreds of thousands of homes we've already built back into use.

Read the full piece on LBC →