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| Ministers pressed on empty homes | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Government action is needed to free up more than 750,000 empty houses for homeless people, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. | Government action is needed to free up more than 750,000 empty houses for homeless people, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. |
| England has nearly 1.7 million people on social housing waiting lists, the Local Government Association says. | |
| About 72,000 are either homeless or in temporary accommodation. | About 72,000 are either homeless or in temporary accommodation. |
| The surveyors body wants ministers to cut VAT on building renovation and repair from 15% to 5% to encourage more landlords to provide rental housing. | The surveyors body wants ministers to cut VAT on building renovation and repair from 15% to 5% to encourage more landlords to provide rental housing. |
| The Royal Institution (Rics) said there were about 762,635 properties in England not being used. | |
| It said that while the government had announced a raft of measures to help homeowners avoid having their properties repossessed, little was being done to help the homeless. Thousands of homes should not be allowed to stand empty while people are homeless or suffering from poor living conditions James RowlandsRics | |
| Local authorities have powers to issue Empty Dwelling Management Orders on properties that have been vacant for at least six months. | Local authorities have powers to issue Empty Dwelling Management Orders on properties that have been vacant for at least six months. |
| But Rics said it needed to make it more attractive for the owners of empty properties to rent them out. | But Rics said it needed to make it more attractive for the owners of empty properties to rent them out. |
| The government has already cut VAT for properties that have been empty for more than two years, but Rics said it now needed to go further. | The government has already cut VAT for properties that have been empty for more than two years, but Rics said it now needed to go further. |
| Policy officer James Rowlands said: "Thousands of homes should not be allowed to stand empty while people are homeless or suffering from poor living conditions. | Policy officer James Rowlands said: "Thousands of homes should not be allowed to stand empty while people are homeless or suffering from poor living conditions. |
| "The government must use all its powers to bring these homes back into use by reducing VAT on repair of buildings and reinforcing council powers. | "The government must use all its powers to bring these homes back into use by reducing VAT on repair of buildings and reinforcing council powers. |
| "Rather than allowing homes to sit empty, everyone should be able to celebrate Christmas in a home of their own." | "Rather than allowing homes to sit empty, everyone should be able to celebrate Christmas in a home of their own." |
| Last month, the Empty Homes Agency charity urged the public to inform councils of properties which had been unoccupied for six months to allow them to take action. | Last month, the Empty Homes Agency charity urged the public to inform councils of properties which had been unoccupied for six months to allow them to take action. |
| Meanwhile, the government is bringing forward £775m in spending on housing and regeneration projects to help the construction sector. | Meanwhile, the government is bringing forward £775m in spending on housing and regeneration projects to help the construction sector. |