A total of 824 residential properties in the borough have been unoccupied for more than six months, according to data released by Bexley Council following a Freedom of Information request.
The council shared a breakdown showing how long these homes have been empty:
- 167 homes have been vacant for between six and twelve months
- 335 have not been lived in for one to two years
- 315 have been empty for between two and five years
- Seven properties have stood empty for more than five years
The council said it could not release the addresses or ownership details of these homes due to data protection laws.
Long-term empty homes can become a source of concern for communities.
They often fall into disrepair, attract antisocial behaviour, and represent missed opportunities during a time when housing is in high demand.
To tackle the problem, Bexley Council says it is making use of new legislation that allows local authorities to apply extra council tax charges on homes that are left empty long-term.
The idea is to encourage owners to bring properties back into use. If these charges go unpaid, the council confirmed that recovery action is taken.
Nationally, there are almost 700,000 homes in England that are unfurnished and sitting empty, according to the campaign group Action on Empty Homes.
Of those, more than 265,000 are classed as long-term empty.
When second homes and holiday lets are included, the total number of unused homes rises to over one million — which means roughly one in every 25 homes in England is not being lived in.
Campaigners argue that bringing these properties back into use could be a key part of easing the housing crisis.
According to the homelessness charity Crisis, there are now more than 290,000 people in England without a permanent home.
