Renovating empty homes will help save money and the environment

The government could reduce property waiting lists as well as carbon emissions in Britain's homes by renovating empty houses, according to the British Property Federation (BPF).

Research carried out by Empty Homes found that renovating a vacant property to make it 'good as new' requires only a third of the energy used to construct a new build, meaning the government could meet its climate change targets as well as provide vital accommodation to those who need it most.

By carrying out maintenance to bring older properties up to current standards, residents could enjoy all the benefits of an eco-friendly home, including reduced energy prices and home insurance to cover their property and contents.

"Renovating empty homes is an opportunity for the government to get people off housing waiting lists and into 'good as new' homes," explained BPF chief executive Liz Peace.

"It will also save them money and reduce the burden off of over-stretched councils at a time when housing benefit is also being slashed."

The Energy Saving Trust reports that there as many as 762,000 empty homes in England alone, that could be put to effective use housing some of the four million people currently on waiting lists.

However, government strategies are currently focused more on new builds, with housing minister Grant Shapps today unveiling the New Homes Bonus Scheme. This initiative will offer a financial incentive to local councils to encourage them to build more new properties in their area.

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:36:00 GMT