Owners contacted to get empty homes back into use

The action is part of National Empty Homes Week

Owners of empty properties in an area of Surrey are being contacted by a council to try to bring the homes back into use.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council (EEBC) is contacting owners of properties that have been empty for more than two years.

The local authority is encouraging owners to consider letting or selling their property, or to lease it to the council through its private sector lease scheme.

Clive Woodbridge from the council's community and wellbeing committee said: "Across the country, the lack of affordable housing has put massive pressure on local authorities, and Epsom and Ewell is no different."

The councillor added: "The council's housing team work extremely hard to house people in need, but supply continually outstrips demand."

The council, which is taking action as part of National Empty Homes Week, believes there are 64 properties in the area that have been empty for more than two years.

EEBC says there are currently more than 250 families from the borough in temporary accommodation with a further 1,336 people on the council's housing needs register.