Buying an Empty Property

Buying an empty home may seem daunting, but you could find an excellent bargain - particularly if you are looking for a property to renovate yourself. Below is some information to assist you if you are considering buying an empty property.

To find an empty home you can try the following:

Ask local estate agents. They might not have photographs of empty houses on display, but that does not mean they have not got some empty houses for sale. The Empty Homes Team can provide you with a list of local Estate Agents.
Check local newspapers, properties for sale through auction is often the result of bankruptcy so a quick sale is needed.
Look in auction catalogues, as these are a good place to find empty homes that are for sale. The Empty Homes Agency produce a short guide on property auctions which may be of interest to you;
Look at the following websites, which specialise in empty properties:

Renovate Alerts

The Empty Homes Agency

Check local building land that is up for sale. Some building land will already have a house on it. Often the house needs demolishing (knocking down) but sometimes it can be saved and rebuilt.

Plotfinder.net

Tracing an Owner

Although the Council do not give out details of empty homes or details of the owner, we may be able to pass your details on.

You can also contact Land Registry. It is possible to do a basic online search for a small fee.

You will also be able to find out if there are any current or previous planning applications in relation to the property by visiting the Planning Section of the website

Planning Department online planning