Full Breakdown
Labour Government Reforms Empty Dwelling Management Orders to Shorten Vacancy Threshold
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Reform Details
On 27 September the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that councils will be able to intervene in privately owned homes that have been empty for six months rather than the previous two-year threshold. The revised Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) regime allows local authorities to take over the management of a qualifying property for up to seven years while legal ownership remains with the title-holder. The reforms also remove evidential requirements—such as proof of anti-social behaviour or demonstrated community support—when councils apply to the Residential Property Tribunal.
Background & Context
EDMOs were introduced under the Housing Act 2004 to address long-term vacancy and blight. In 2012 the qualifying period was extended from six months to two years and additional safeguards were added to protect responsible homeowners. The Labour government, facing a housing shortage and a self-imposed target to build 1.5 million homes by 2029, is reverting to the original six-month threshold as part of a broader strategy to bring existing stock back into use.
Data & Statistics
- 303,185 homes in England were classified as long-term empty in 2025, meaning they had been vacant for more than six months.
- An earlier estimate put the total number of empty homes at around 300,000.
- No council has submitted an EDMO application since 2021.
- Under the reformed regime, a council may manage a property for up to seven years while the owner retains title.
Criticism & Opposition
Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake, former estate-agent and Conservative Party Chairman, condemned the reforms as an attack on property rights, describing the measures as “classic socialist authoritarianism.”
Property presenter Kirstie Allsopp questioned the practicality of the plan, noting that most councils cannot even grant planning permission for minor works without six months’ notice and calling the idea of councils “seizing properties and renovating them” an “absolute fantasy.”
Critics also point out that the EDMO regime contains exemptions for homes temporarily vacant due to probate, ongoing sales, or owners living elsewhere, but they argue that the reduced threshold narrows the margin for error and could increase state interference in private ownership.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The reforms will also streamline the application process by removing evidential requirements relating to issues such as anti-social behaviour or community support for intervention, making it simpler for local authorities to seek an EDMO through the Residential Property Tribunal.” — statement from the government
- “The changes will reduce the period a property must be empty before it becomes eligible for an EDMO from two years to six months, allowing councils to act sooner where homes have been left vacant.” — The government
- “Most councils can’t grant planning permission for a downstairs loo without six months’ notice; the idea that they’ll be seizing properties and renovating them is an absolute fantasy.” — Kirstie Allsopp
These reforms mark a significant shift in how England’s local authorities may address long-term vacancy, balancing the government’s housing-supply goals against longstanding concerns over private property rights.