Somerset Council has disclosed that it cannot specify the locations of over 2,300 empty homes within the county because the system required to map these properties is still under development. This revelation comes as part of National Empty Homes Week, during which the council has been offering advice and financial grants to property owners to encourage the reuse of vacant homes and help them avoid extra council tax penalties.
The number of empty properties in Somerset has decreased slightly, from 2,406 in 2024 to 2,333 in 2025—a reduction of 73 homes, equating to approximately three percent. However, when the Local Democracy Reporting Service requested detailed data on where these empty homes are situated, the council admitted it currently lacks the capability to provide this breakdown.
Nearly three years after its formation, Somerset Council continues to operate on five separate planning systems inherited from its predecessor county and district councils. As a result, it does not yet have a consolidated system in place to track empty homes by location. The council confirmed that such a system is in development, either internally or in partnership with Newton, as part of its ongoing transformation programme.
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A council spokesperson explained the process of identifying empty homes: “Local authorities primarily use council tax records to determine empty properties, which show when houses are unoccupied. Our officers then verify this data throughout the year by contacting owners, reviewing reports from residents, and collaborating with environmental health and building control teams. The final figures come from a combination of council tax data, direct owner checks, physical inspections, and national definitions.”
Empty homes pose challenges for communities, often becoming magnets for anti-social behavior, crime, litter, vermin, and may also negatively impact the value and condition of surrounding properties.
To combat this, grants and low-interest loans are available for owners of long-term vacant properties to finance essential repairs, enabling these homes to be occupied or rented out.
Councillor Sarah Wakefield, portfolio holder for adults’ services, housing, and homelessness, said, “It’s encouraging to see a year-on-year decline in the number of empty homes, but there’s still work to be done. If you know of any properties vacant for six months or more in your area, please report the address and postcode through our website. Together, we can reduce these numbers further.”
The council also highlighted new powers under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. Since April 2024, properties empty for over a year can be charged a 100% council tax premium, increasing to 200% if vacant for five to ten years, and 300% for properties empty ten years or more.
For more information or to report a long-term empty property, residents can visit the council’s housing support website.