Summary
Overall summary
- Level of agreement is high for all four objectives (>80% total sample)
- Agreement is higher amongst residents than it is amongst current or former empty homeowners
- In general, younger demographics and females agree with the objectives in higher proportions
- In general, lower proportions of residents living in PO3 and those aged 35-54 agree with the objectives
- The reasons for agreement with each of the objectives are generally consistent/repetitive, with respondents supportive of action being taken against empty properties that are causing issues and efforts to bring more homes into usable housing stock for those in need
- Views are more polarised around whether homeowners/landlords should be assisted/incentivised by the Council (particularly financial) or whether they should be penalised more strongly for not bringing their property back into use
- Empty homeowners are more in favour of support, incentives and respect for personal circumstances
Strategic approach
- Level of agreement is high for the strategic approach (80% total sample)
- As with the objectives, agreement is higher among residents than it is among current or former empty homeowners
- Females are more likely to agree with the approach than males
- Residents living in PO3 are less likely to agree with the approach than other postcodes
- Respondents agree with the approach because of early identification of empty properties and engagement with owners, advising and supporting owners, thereby bringing more homes back into use
- Those who disagree are a mix of residents and current/former property owners. Property owners feel that it is their choice what to do with their property and that the approach is too punitive. Residents, on the other hand, tend to disagree because they don’t think the approach is strong enough in the area of enforcement or penalties against homeowners who are reluctant to sell or rent their empty property
Informal and formal interventions (strategy delivery)
- Level of agreement is high with how to deliver the strategy/achieve the objectives (79% total sample)
- Agreement is much higher amongst residents than it is amongst current or former empty homeowners
- Younger demographics and females agree with the strategy delivery in higher proportions
- Lower proportions of residents living in PO3 and those aged 35-54 agree with the strategy delivery
- Reasons for agreeing centre around it being a sensible and fair plan that will successfully alleviate the housing shortage
- The largest proportion of those disagreeing are again concerned about property owners’ rights and that the interventions are too heavy-handed
Barriers
- Most respondents agree that all suggested barriers are reasons why owners struggling to bring empty homes back into use (64%-76%)
- Current or former empty homeowners perceive financial constraints and a lack of awareness/support to be the main barriers. They are less convinced that absentee ownership is a significant barrier
- Financial benefit or greed is the most frequently mentioned additional barrier such as properties being kept in families for inheritance, tax planning and investment reasons, followed by legal hurdles/red tape such as licensing requirements, EPC thresholds etc. (Note, these legal hurdles are different from the ones listed as a barrier in the question which are written from the Council’s point of view. These hurdles reference the legislative complexities around selling a property or being a landlord).
Resident impacts of empty homes
- The main impacts felt by residents are caused by neglected properties close to where they live (eyesore, ASB, vermin/pests, general disrepair) and frustration that there are empty homes at all, given the city’s housing shortage
- 12% of residents feel that they have experienced an impact that warranted them seeking support, whilst 30% did not seek any support
- 58% of residents report that they have not experienced any impacts of empty homes
- The most frequently mentioned point of contact for support is Portsmouth City Council (over 80% contacting via various channels/departments)
Current and former empty homeowners
- The main reasons for a property becoming empty are a lack of tenant (void period, eviction, unexpected departure etc.), building/decorating work or trying to sell the property
- Almost two thirds of those taking part in the consultation still have an empty property
- The majority of empty properties are empty for 12 months or less. Financial assistance in readying a property for sale is cited as the most effective type of support, or the most effective approach owners have taken themselves to bring their property back into use
- Awareness of any available advice or support is low (7%) and less than a fifth have ever sought advice and support
- PCC is the organisation most frequently contacted, usually about council tax
- Almost half of owners would have been interested in PCC leasing or purchasing their property
- Only 16% feel that their empty property impacted neighbouring residents
Sample and demographics
- 91% of the sample are Portsmouth residents, representing postcodes PO1-PO6 and select PO7 postcodes
- 8% are owners or former owners of empty property in Portsmouth
- Less than 2% are businesses or organisations, not enough to be analysed as a discrete group
- 55% of respondents are female, 45% are male
- All age groups are represented, however, 80% are aged 55+
- Most of the sample are from a White ethnic background
- Almost a quarter have some form of disability or long-term limiting condition or illness
