Empty home numbers rising across county

Richard Youle Local Democracy Reporter

The number of empty private homes in a Welsh county is creeping up and exceeds 2,500 according to the latest figures.

They’re defined as properties empty for longer than six months and this can be for reasons such as the owner moving into a care home, probate – the legal process of dealing with the property of someone who’s died – and in some cases abandonment.

There were 2,598 empty homes in Swansea in 2025-26 compared to 2,034 in 2021-22. Council staff helped bring 96 of them back into use in both those financial years and councillors heard more about this work at a meeting. It comes at a time of acute housing need across many areas of Wales.

Owners of a property that has been empty for 12 months or more can apply to the council for funding of up to £25,000 under a national scheme to bring it back into use and improve its energy efficiency.

Sally Jones, the council’s empty homes officer, said it was a successful scheme but stressed a key criteria was that the home had to be unfurnished for 12 months or more as well. There is additional criteria if the property is in Gower.

Speaking at a scrutiny committee meeting Ms Jones also said council tax premiums for long-term empty homes in Wales have encouraged owners to bring them back into use.

Asked about challenges Ms Jones she worked four days a week and that it was mainly her doing this work. “I suppose if there was more resourcing [we] would be more able to be a bit more proactive as opposed to reactive,” she said.

Councils have enforcement powers relating to empty homes, in very rare cases resulting in enforced sales.

Cllr Andrea Harrington, cabinet member for transformation, said the council started working with two genealogy companies this year to help trace properties’ next of kin. She said there have been nine successful outcomes to date.

Cllr Harrington said the council also built homes of its own and worked with housing associations to increase the supply of homes. She said the authority also secured affordable homes via legal agreements with developers, one recent example being 141 shared ownership and social rented homes which will be made available as part of a large new Persimmon Homes estate between Gorseinon and Penllergaer.

“Empty properties is only part of the jigsaw – it’s not the only jigsaw,” she said.

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