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Why are they empty?
Jonbvn
Posts: 5,562 Forumite
Good article in the Times today regarding empty properties/homes.
The real shocker is that there are an estimated 840,000 empty homes in the UK.
The real shocker is that there are an estimated 840,000 empty homes in the UK.
In case you hadn't already worked it out - the entire global financial system is predicated on the assumption that you're an idiot:cool:
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Comments
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There have been such stories as long as I can remember. Ironically, the following story was on the same page:
http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/buying_and_selling/article2063732.ece
You could rehouse an entire Polish village in there.
Presumably the problem will only go away when there is a tax on empty properties, assuming you can trace the owner.Been away for a while.0 -
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There are plenty of properties bought purely for investment not BTL but just bought to leave empty.
There is also acres of land with residential planning permission that lies undeveloped as it's the land that has the most value. Building a house is relatively cheap.
Maybe the Goverment should look into this now that they have made housing a priority.0 -
They already have.
There is the Empty Homes initiative, which came in with the HA 20040 -
OMG!Running_Horse wrote: »There have been such stories as long as I can remember. Ironically, the following story was on the same page:
http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/buying_and_selling/article2063732.ece
You could rehouse an entire Polish village in there.
Presumably the problem will only go away when there is a tax on empty properties, assuming you can trace the owner.
the heated marble driveway – said to have cost £3m to lay
Imagine having to clean that everytime the Ferrari drove up it
Classic quote in there though " The price tag, Holborow suggests mischievously, might even be too modest: “With such growing confidence and the market increasing, perhaps we ought to be asking more."
Only 70 Million?
I wonder how a market correction would affect this house?
Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.0 -
Running_Horse wrote: »Presumably the problem will only go away when there is a tax on empty properties, assuming you can trace the owner.
If the government doesn't know who the owner then the land by definition *has* no owner, so the government can take it and sell it.Bankruptcy isn't the worst that can happen to you. The worst that can happen is your forced to live the rest of your life in abject poverty trying to repay the debts.0 -
Romani_Ite_Domum wrote: »There are plenty of properties bought purely for investment not BTL but just bought to leave empty.
I think this is where I come in. What your talking about is BTS (Buy-To-Sit) rather than BTL.
BTS properties are a great place to live. Just move in. The owners will often have no idea where the property even is. If you move in, they are unlikely to know, and even less likely to care. As long as you don't smash the place up, you being there isn't costing them anything, so why would they spend good money throwing you out. It may even save them money, as you'll be paying the council tax, plus having someone living there protects the property from vandalism and disrepair.
The best way to do it is to make a list of empty properties in the area you want to live, then pop down to the land registry and see which ones are owned by "Property investment funds". A days research can get you somewhere to live for free for years, possibly decades. The money you would have spent on rent can be put aside and used to buy a house during a "lull" in the house prices.
Feel free to peruse the SquatNow site for a full explanation.
I wait with baited breath for the death threats from all the BTL landlords on here...Bankruptcy isn't the worst that can happen to you. The worst that can happen is your forced to live the rest of your life in abject poverty trying to repay the debts.0 -
I think this is where I come in. What your talking about is BTS (Buy-To-Sit) rather than BTL.
BTS properties are a great place to live. Just move in. The owners will often have no idea where the property even is. If you move in, they are unlikely to know, and even less likely to care. As long as you don't smash the place up, you being there isn't costing them anything, so why would they spend good money throwing you out. It may even save them money, as you'll be paying the council tax, plus having someone living there protects the property from vandalism and disrepair.
The best way to do it is to make a list of empty properties in the area you want to live, then pop down to the land registry and see which ones are owned by "Property investment funds". A days research can get you somewhere to live for free for years, possibly decades. The money you would have spent on rent can be put aside and used to buy a house during a "lull" in the house prices.
Feel free to peruse the SquatNow site for a full explanation.
I wait with baited breath for the death threats from all the BTL landlords on here...
I put in a sealed bid on a property last year and it was bought by a property investment fund. It has been empty for 15 months now. If I didn't currently own, I would certainly think about taking up your advice.0 -
Please feel free to squat anywhere owned and left empty by such companies.
Just don't come and try and squat in my house, when I go away for 3 weeks and leave the builders (apparently) working! It was only the window cleaner who noticed that the putty had almost completely been removed from one window.0 -
I think this is where I come in. What your talking about is BTS (Buy-To-Sit) rather than BTL.
BTS properties are a great place to live. Just move in. The owners will often have no idea where the property even is. If you move in, they are unlikely to know, and even less likely to care. As long as you don't smash the place up, you being there isn't costing them anything, so why would they spend good money throwing you out. It may even save them money, as you'll be paying the council tax, plus having someone living there protects the property from vandalism and disrepair.
The best way to do it is to make a list of empty properties in the area you want to live, then pop down to the land registry and see which ones are owned by "Property investment funds". A days research can get you somewhere to live for free for years, possibly decades. The money you would have spent on rent can be put aside and used to buy a house during a "lull" in the house prices.
Feel free to peruse the SquatNow site for a full explanation.
I wait with baited breath for the death threats from all the BTL landlords on here...
Hello Squat Now, your website is really great for advice ! I'd like to set up a professionals' sociable squat
Which are the areas, maybe Central or South West London, with the most BTS / "Property investment funds" to look around ? is there any squatters' estate agent in London? I especially heard about one Marcello, known as the squatters' estate agent...
any reply will be greatly appreciated, Thanks0
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