298 homes in Southwark have been sitting empty for over two years, research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. 

The figures, uncovered through Freedom of Information requests, show that there are over 210,000 homes across the country  (795 in Southwark) that have been empty for six months or more. Of these, 60,000 had been empty for two years or more, 23,000 for five years or more, and over 11,000 have stood empty for at least ten years.

Southwark has failed to make use of Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMO), powers used by local authorities to take over properties that have been empty for at least two years. This is despite the fact that some local families have spent Christmas without a home.

At a time when the homelessness crisis is worsening and more and more people are sleeping out in the cold on our streets, it is a scandal that so many homes locally are sitting empty.

These homes could be turned into affordable places to live for those that need it in Southwark. 

The Government needs to urgently review the current system which is clearly not working and Southwark needs to be given the powers and resources to bring empty homes back
into use.

It is shameful that Southwark has failed to use existing powers to end this scandal. Local families have spent Christmas homeless because of Labour inaction and ineptitude.