Empty homes in England: councils will be able to take over a property after just 6 months

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced on Sunday 27 September a reform of Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs). At present a council can only apply for such an order once a home has stood empty for at least two years. Under the reform, that threshold drops to six months.

What is an EDMO and what does it mean for the owner?

An EDMO is an order under which the local council takes an empty home into compulsory management for up to seven years: it brings the property back into shape and moves tenants in. Ownership stays with the owner — nobody takes the home away — but for that period the property is effectively run by the council. The decision is made not by the council itself but by the Residential Property Tribunal, to which the council applies.

What exactly is changing?

Two key changes. First, the minimum period a property must be empty before it becomes eligible for an EDMO is cut from 2 years to 6 months, letting councils step in sooner, before a home falls into serious disrepair. Second, the application process is being streamlined: councils will no longer have to produce evidence of issues such as anti-social behaviour around the empty property or of community support for intervention. The government also says it is exploring further changes to strengthen the EDMO regime.

How many homes stand empty in England?

According to MHCLG official statistics for September 2025, England has 542,000 empty dwellings liable for council tax — up 40,000 (8%) on the year before. Of those, 153,000 have been empty for more than a year, and their owners are already paying a council tax premium. On top of that there are 268,000 second homes — furnished properties with no permanent resident.

What is the council tax premium on an empty home?

The financial penalty already exists, and the EDMO reform adds to it rather than replacing it. Since 1 April 2024 councils have been able to double the council tax bill (a 100% premium) after just one year empty; after five years the premium can reach 200%, and after ten years 300% — a bill four times the normal one. For second homes, a premium of up to 100% has applied since 1 April 2025, with no waiting period at all. The actual rates are set by each local council.

How do you stay clear of the premium and the order?

The rules include mandatory exceptions to the premium: it cannot be charged for 12 months while a home is actively marketed for sale or letting (at a realistic price), for 12 months after a grant of probate, and for up to 12 months during major repairs or structural works. Certain categories, such as armed forces job-related accommodation, are also exempt. If you own a flat nobody has lived in for a long time — you moved abroad, are waiting for prices to rise, or never got round to it after an inheritance — the safest way to avoid both the doubled tax and the council's attention is to let it out, sell it, or claim the relevant exception while repairs or the sale are in progress.

What does it mean for renters and buyers?

For those looking for a home, this is broadly good news: hundreds of thousands of properties that have stood locked up for years should become easier to bring back to the market — as rentals under council management, or as sales when owners decide the new regime is not worth the trouble. The government has not yet named a start date for the reform — details are expected later. We are following the story: see our guide to council tax, our piece on the new Your First Home scheme for first-time buyers, and if you rent and have been hit with a rise, read how to challenge a rent increase.