Westminster Council unveils plans for empty homes hotline

Grosvenor Square is the second most expensive street in England

Residents in central London could be able to report their rich neighbours for leaving homes vacant for six months of the year, under new plans.

Under the proposals, those living in the borough of Westminster will be able to call a hotline.

Homeowners will also be encouraged to make empty space available for rent and discouraged from buying holiday homes.

Council leader Adam Hug said: "These measures are an important first step in tackling the issue of empty houses."

It comes as Westminster City Council's tax data has shown a 123% increase in the number of long-term empty residential properties (LTEP) between 2021 and 2022.

According to the council, the real number is expected to be higher than the 1,150 properties recorded for this period due to previous reliance on self-reporting.

The same data showed that more affluent wards, such as Knightsbridge and Belgravia, had the highest number of empty properties, the council said.

England's second-most expensive street is Grosvenor Square in the borough.

The council said it would introduce an empty property officer to help fully unpick why so many homes in prime locations have been left vacant in recent years.

Mr Hug added: "For many, the thought of so many homes in Westminster sitting empty, essentially left to rot, while thousands wait for housing, will be hard to swallow.

"These measures are an important first step in tackling the issue of empty houses in Westminster, where absentee international investment can hollow out our communities and waste a vital supply of homes."

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]