Northern Ireland

More than 20,000 empty homes across Northern Ireland

There are at least 20,000 empty homes in Northern Ireland, although the figure could be even higher. Picture by Ann McManus
There are at least 20,000 empty homes in Northern Ireland, although the figure could be even higher. Picture by Ann McManus There are at least 20,000 empty homes in Northern Ireland, although the figure could be even higher. Picture by Ann McManus

THERE are more than 20,000 empty homes in the north, with the number potentially even higher due to difficulties in tracking owners.

A total 20,629 privately owned residential properties are vacant, with the largest number, almost 4,000, in Belfast.

The area covered by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has 2,600 properties sitting empty.

There are more than 2,000 unoccupied homes each in three council areas; Mid-Ulster; Newry, Mourne and Down; and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon.

The Housing Executive said it has just 243 vacant properties.

The social housing waiting list in Northern Ireland stands at around 37,500, with over 22,000 of those deemed to be in housing stress.

In the response by Mr Givan, he noted that Land and Property Services advised that the figure of 20,000 "be treated with caution as there is no requirement for ratepayers to inform LPS that their property is vacant".

An Empty Homes strategy was set up in 2013 but is currently under review, while earlier this year the Housing Executive's dedicated Empty Homes unit was "scaled back" amidst "budgetary constraints".

The figures were released in response to a question from SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan, who said the numbers "make clear that the Empty Homes Strategy isn't working."

Mr Durkan told The Irish News: "Not only would getting more people into empty homes reduce the housing waiting list, it would tackle a situation where these empty homes can become a magnet for anti-social behaviour and the property can fall into dereliction.

"I would urge the department and housing associations to do all they can to either purchase these properties or work with owners to get them up to standard. It could also provide much needed work for those in the construction industry."