Empty properties

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Empty Properties

Bringing empty property back into use is an integral part of the council’s vision to ensure that all the people of Brighton & Hove have access to decent affordable housing that enables a good quality of life. The majority of empty properties in the city are privately owned and the council has a strategy setting out how to work with owners of empty properties so they can be reoccupied. The council has Empty Property Officers to help deal with these issues and encourage the owners of empty properties to bring these much needed homes back in to occupation.

Reporting an empty property

If you own or live near an empty property please complete our empty properties reporting online form.

Any information that you supply will only be held by the council, and any personal information you supply will only be used to help us make enquiries and will not be disclosed to any third party unless otherwise stated.    

Empty Properties and Council Tax

Some empty properties are not charged council tax, this can last for up to a year depending on the reason why they are exempt. A full list of exemptions is available on the council tax and business rates pages of the website.

Sussex Empty Homes Forum

Brighton & Hove City Council currently chairs the Sussex Empty Homes Forum.  There many differences between the thirteen local authorities that make up East and West Sussex and Brighton & Hove but the councils have shared aims for bringing privately owned empty homes back into use. The forum provides a strategic framework for empty homes work in Sussex whilst complementing individual council's strategies.   

For more information, download the Sussex Empty Homes Forum Strategic Framework SEHF_Strategic_Framework_2008-2011_[PDF 1533kb]. 

Further Information

• What the council can do about empty properties
• Buying an Empty Property
• The Empty Property Strategy 2006-2009 and what we have achieved
• Contact us and useful links