Constantine I have so much evidence:
The radio programme where an estate agent in London said he was selling a block of new build flats. He said many of then would be sold to people from abroad, especially China and Singapore, but they would then remain empty forever. He was not a happy bunny but could not do anything to stop these buyers.
Southwold Councillor Beavan on a regional new programme saying how many houses in the town were not occupied full time or even used as holiday homes. He pointed out roads where many of the houses were left empty all the time.
Just three of the articles I found on google:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/201 ... olk-resort
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long ... 46336.html
https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/30/inside-m ... -10092362/
When I heard the radio programme I was gobsmacked, why leave it empty when you can make money from the building?
Thinking about it in my town it is happening. 2 doors down is not permanently occupied but for many years it was a holiday home for the owners and family but never rented out. 3 doors down the other way the elderly owner moved into a flat near her daughter many miles away but they kept the house in case she wanted to move back. Years later it is only occupied when the daughter and son in law come down for an occasional holiday. Going the other way the end terrace house was empty for many years. The owner remarried, lived in her house but refused to sell or rent out his house. Across the road, on the corner is a block of four flats. One was sold and a man stopped me in the street asking about the refuse bins. He told me he had bought the flat for a holiday home for himself and he had bought the house in the next road for the same reason. But not to worry it would not be let out as a holiday home. So both are empty most of the time. I checked and the properties are owned by a company so very tax efficient way to have a holiday home. Next door to his holiday house lives Christine who is in a too cold terrace house. A rarely used holiday home one side and a house that has not been lived in for over 40 years to my knowledge and probably more. It is not safe to live in. Our council recently bought and empty shop and living accommodation not too far from us. Empty for a few years it has been converted into flats. And another derelict property in the town was featured on Look East (tv news). It was in a dreadful state after years of being left to rot, but the council have bought it and will turn it into a home.
The amount of empty but not for sale properties in this country is nothing short of a national disgrace
Keep smiling because the light at the end of someone's tunnel may be you, Ron Cheneler
