The number of long term empty properties in Powys is falling
A senior councillor has asked whether higher Council Tax premiums on long-term empty properties are bringing them back into use
Senior councillors were given an update on progress made by the council in tackling long-term empty properties, at a meeting of Powys County Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet on Tuesday, January 20
Since April 2023, the council has charged a 100 per cent premium on long-term empty properties which doubles the bill, and 75 per cent on periodically occupied dwellings which are second/holiday homes.
Deputy Council leader and portfolio holder for Housing Cllr Matthew Dorrance (Labour – Brecon West) said: “We all know that empty properties are a blight on our communities. They are often the source of antisocial behaviour and magnets for crime.
“We need to bring them back to contribute to the number of homes available for people in our communities.”
He explained that the council had adopted an empty home enforcement plan and that a team of council officers has been put together to bring empty properties back into use.
This is being attempted by coordinating the use of the best mix of incentives and enforcement for each property.
A web page has also been created on the council’s website to allow people to report empty properties to the council.
“We are having some success, but this is a complex arena,” said Cllr Dorrance.
Council Leader Cllr Jake Berriman (Liberal Democrat – Llandrindod North) asked: “Can you provide some assurance that the investment that we’re making is nibbling away into a reduction of those properties?
“While we do charge a premium, it’s not to raise additional finance to the council. It’s to bring empty properties back into beneficial use to the residents of Powys.”
Cllr Dorrance answered: “We have seen a reduction, but I think it’s too early to tell whether that’s because of our interventions or changes in market values of something else.
“We’ve committed to a review in 2026 in relation to the premium and we will be able to triangulate that information further.
“But we can’t take our foot off the gas.
“We have a housing crisis here in Powys and we need every property to play its part because of those wider implications on social cohesion an strength of our communities.”
The report showed that in 2023/2024 the numbers of long-term empty properties were 1,023. This dropped to 993 in 2024/2025 and fell again to 921 this year.
Cllr Berriman thanked Cllr Dorrance for his answer and brought up a success story from his own ward.
Cllr Berriman explained that he had reported a long-term empty property to the council and discussed it with the Housing team, who had got in touch with the owner.
Cllr Berriman said: “While there seemed to be not much they could do about it; it wasn’t long before that property found its way onto the market.
“It’s now been sold and is lived in, which is very encouraging.”
Cabinet noted the report.
