The Housing Committee of the Greater London Authority Council met on Wednesday 10 June 2026. The meeting's agenda included a review of the committee's work programme and a discussion on empty homes in London.

Empty Homes in London Part 1

The committee received a report providing background information on the issue of empty homes in London. In 2025, there were 105,138 empty homes in London, representing 2.7% of the total housing stock. This figure has risen by 81% since 2016. The report highlighted that 12% of these empty homes in 2024 were owned by local authorities, a higher proportion than in any other region of England, and that the number of empty local authority homes had increased by 66% since 2016. The report also detailed the powers available to local authorities to bring privately-owned empty homes back into use, such as Empty Dwelling Management Orders and compulsory purchase orders. The negative impacts of empty homes, including reduced housing supply and increased anti-social behaviour, were also noted. The committee was informed that the London Housing Strategy 2018 and the 2021 London Plan address concerns about empty homes, with the Mayor supporting boroughs in ensuring new homes are occupied. The 2026-36 Affordable Homes Programme allows for the acquisition of previously-occupied homes. The committee was scheduled to hear from guests including representatives from Arup, Shelter, Action on Empty Homes, and empty homes officers from the London Boroughs of Camden, Waltham Forest, and Lewisham to discuss the scale of the problem, driving factors, current borough approaches, the Mayor's work, and potential further actions.