At any one time in the Conwy county, there are around 1500 privately-owned properties which have been empty for 6 months or more. Although many of these will come back into use naturally, there are some that will remain empty for longer periods of time for many different reasons. These properties can quickly become unsightly and attract problems which can then cause issues for neighbours and the local community.
Cost of an empty home
Several years ago, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors calculated that an average empty property can cost its owner as much as £8250 per year. This includes things such as rent loss, deterioration, vandalism, insurance costs and security. In Conwy, there is also a 50% council tax premium charged on properties that have been empty for more than 6 months (except where they are eligible for a council tax exemption). This premium is on top of the usual council tax charged.
How we can help
Our Empty Homes Scheme has been in place since 2008 and in 2021 we extended the service. We have now increased marketing, staffing and communication to try and connect with the community, empty home owners, landlords and first time buyers, to offer advice and solutions to help bring these long-term empty properties back into use.
To find out what assistance is available to help you bring your empty property back into use, please provide your details below:
If you want to tell us about an empty home, or discuss options for your empty property, contact the Empty Homes Officer:
- Phone: 01492 574235 or 01492 574633
- Email: emptyhomes@conwy.gov.uk
- Write to us: Housing Strategy, PO Box 1, Conwy, LL30 9GL