Those pinning their homeownership hopes on the Government's housebuilding drive might have a long wait. It has decreed that by 2020 there will be 3 million more homes than there are today, which, on current targets, should mean many hundreds of thousands more affordable homes. But can housebuilders keep it up despite the market wobbles - and should they, when many thousands of homes lie empty? Pioneering local authorities and housing charities are showing how these properties can be brought back into use:

Kent County Council

The “No Use Empty” scheme has brought 30 per cent of the empty homes in east Kent back into use since it was started just under three years ago. The council - which has offices in Gravesend, Maidstone and Ashford - targeted owners in some of the most deprived wards, where many properties stood empty. It hoped to restore 372 properties to use by April this year, a goal that was comfortably exceeded. Now Kent County Council has teamed up with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Sevenoaks District Council and Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council to launch a west Kent branch of the initiative.

Birmingham City Council

Nearly two years ago 3 per cent of housing stock lay empty in Birmingham - or 12,559 properties in all, 11,000 of them privately owned. The council launched a £2.2 million partnership with Family Housing Association to refurbish such properties. The council housing department is now working with registered social landlords who buy empty private properties for refurbishment. Having targeted large homes suitable for those families living in temporary accommodation or on the waiting list for homes, the council found that by October the number of privately owned empty properties had fallen by 1,100.

Real Lettings

Two years ago 83 per cent of empty homes in London were owned by private landlords. The London homelessness charity Broadway (www.broadwaylondon.org) is working with these owners to provide affordable rental accommodation for people who have been homeless. Its lettings agency, Real Lettings, provides a not-for-profit service to tenants and landlords. This differs from most council schemes in that it concentrates on homes for one or two people. It looks for empty one-bed and studio flats and can guarantee rental income for up to five years.

www.emptyhomes.com

www.broadwaylondon.org

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