Empty Homes in UK Outnumber Holiday Lets

The Short-Term Accommodation Association (STAA) has completed a survey of over 300 local authorities in the UK and found that empty homes outnumber holiday lets.

STAA research found that:

• 58% of local authorities have more empty homes than holiday lets.
• Local authority owned or managed social housing make up most empty properties.

The STAA suggests the media, the public and the government should focus less on those offering holiday lets and focus more on local authorities maintaining their properties and making sure they are used.

Comment

We agree with the STAA.  Stop blaming private holiday let owners as they bring tourism to many areas that create jobs.

• Without tourists, many areas will die economically as there will be no work/jobs that sprout from tourism not just hospitality but many other trades and services.
• Without tourists, there will not be enough work to then allow those workers to rent or buy property for themselves in those areas.

Stop blaming private landlords

• Many landlords provide god quality homes to people.
• Many landlords have complied with new fire safety regulations in let properties.
• Many landlords have already improved energy efficient in let properties making it cheaper for tenants to power and hear their homes.
• Private homeowners have not had to do this, so in many cases tenants are living in safer and more energy efficient property than their landlords do.

Blame Local Authorities?

We have seen other reports that suggest many local authorities and social housing providers are simply selling off their older property stock to avoid fire safety improvements and energy efficiency improvements.