Election Year or Fear!

[Andy_Faber]

According to the Office for National Statistics there were 1,507,000 empty homes in England in 2023. Of which an estimated 10% were second homes, i.e. those not rented out.

According to the Empty Homes Network analysis of government council tax data 2025 found the total number of empty and second homes not in use stands at 998,784 – around one in every 25 homes across the country.

That includes 265,061 homes officially classed as long-term empty, meaning they have stood vacant for more than six months. That figure has risen by 3,587 in the last year alone.

Meanwhile, this year has also seen a 16,552-strong increase in the number of second homes lying unoccupied, up to 279,870.

Taking into account, 237,202 short-term vacancies and 216,651 empty properties which are exempt from council tax, the campaign group found almost a million homes are standing vacant at a time when the UK, as a whole, is in the grip of a housing crisis.

Add to that inefficient use of the housing stock with underoccupied homes, often 3 bed and larger family homes occupied by 1 or 2 persons aged 70 and over, which has increased over the decades, which restricts acess to these homes by families and a major factor in the housing crisis is clear.

By the way, I am in no way suggesting eviction of older people, just pointing out, we live longer than we used to and often fail to move into smaller accommodation. Speaking for myself I downsized into level access accommodation 7 years ago in my last move, with an eye to hopefuly the distant future. Before anybody accuses me of hypocrisy and Stasi policies.

However, it does demonstrate that arriving at a conclusion i.e. that immigration is the sole cause of the hosuing crisis, the NHS problems, high unemployment and lack of access to other sources is simplistic and wrong. Farage and others know this, but they also know many people will believe simplistic concepts and like to have an easily identified scapegoat.

Not sure if this is just helpful info or a justification for having a pop at those with concerns about immigration, but you may again be surprised that I hate seeing unoccpied properties, and if ever there was a voluntary job locally helping/encouraging owners to bring derelict/uninhabitable properties back to life, either at all or quicker, I'd volunteer (I've checked, no such role exists).

plaudits for taking the decision to downsize (area and number of floors I guess), its something we'll do eventually, (insoles and steroid injections are currently staving it off) but taking that as an example, not sure it especially cure any housing crisis, the trickle-down effect to less expensive housing would probably stop with a well-off 20-something buying a first home, not a social housing property being freed up. Not aware there's stats on that, just a feeling based on being sort-of involved in the property cycle

[ramAnag]

Not sure if this is just helpful info or a justification for having a pop at those with concerns about immigration, but you may again be surprised that I hate seeing unoccpied properties, and if ever there was a voluntary job locally helping/encouraging owners to bring derelict/uninhabitable properties back to life, either at all or quicker, I'd volunteer (I've checked, no such role exists).

plaudits for taking the decision to downsize (area and number of floors I guess), its something we'll do eventually, (insoles and steroid injections are currently staving it off) but taking that as an example, not sure it especially cure any housing crisis, the trickle-down effect to less expensive housing would probably stop with a well-off 20-something buying a first home, not a social housing property being freed up. Not aware there's stats on that, just a feeling based on being sort-of involved in the property cycle

Insoles? Is that for plantar fasciitis? You have my sympathy if it is. B@st@rd of a thing, been trying to get rid of it for about six months. Any advice welcome.

[Andy_Faber]

Insoles? Is that for plantar fasciitis? You have my sympathy if it is. B@st@rd of a thing, been trying to get rid of it for about six months. Any advice welcome.

Happy to do so, I suffer with arthritis in the right knee and plantar fasciltis in the left foot, causing my cuboid bone to hurt like hell. Mrs F has been on my case about insoles for ages and I started wearing some in some of my shoes which eased the cuboid thing a bit. She recently persuaded me to overcome my pathetic aversion to wearing 'sliders' round the house and bought me a pair of 'Archies' which have quite agressive insole-type contouring. They hurt more than the source problem for a few hours, but in the past few days my pain (both problems) has reduced by 90%. Obvs that might just be coincidental with the pain ebb and flow of such problems and I'm not kidding myself that the arthritis will actually go away but its a promising sign. www.archiesfootwear.co.uk

Hope that helps in some way

[ramAnag]

Happy to do so, I suffer with arthritis in the right knee and plantar fasciltis in the left foot, causing my cuboid bone to hurt like hell. Mrs F has been on my case about insoles for ages and I started wearing some in some of my shoes which eased the cuboid thing a bit. She recently persuaded me to overcome my pathetic aversion to wearing 'sliders' round the house and bought me a pair of 'Archies' which have quite agressive insole-type contouring. They hurt more than the source problem for a few hours, but in the past few days my pain (both problems) has reduced by 90%. Obvs that might just be coincidental with the pain ebb and flow of such problems and I'm not kidding myself that the arthritis will actually go away but its a promising sign. www.archiesfootwear.co.uk

Hope that helps in some way

Thank you. Appreciated.
My youngest, who lives in Germany, had it but received some electro therapy, two sessions of which cured him. Being thirty years younger probably helped, but it is available over here if you pay. I was going to have it before Christmas but when they (Ashbourne Sports Injuries Clinic) found out I’ve got an irregular heart beat they withdrew the offer. Might work for you and not too far away.

[Andy_Faber]

Thank you. Appreciated.
My youngest, who lives in Germany, had it but received some electro therapy, two sessions of which cured him. Being thirty years younger probably helped, but it is available over here if you pay. I was going to have it before Christmas but when they (Ashbourne Sports Injuries Clinic) found out I?ve got an irregular heart beat they withdrew the offer. Might work for you and not too far away.

I have AF (the condition, not the gob****e moderator) too, had it for decades, so thanks but no good for me either. Persevering with the sliders

[ramAnag]

I have AF (the condition, not the gob****e moderator) too, had it for decades, so thanks but no good for me either. Persevering with the sliders

Sorry to hear that. Only diagnosed a couple of years ago. Hasn?t really seemed to have much impact?until electro therapy was no longer an option.

[Andy_Faber]

Sorry to hear that. Only diagnosed a couple of years ago. Hasn?t really seemed to have much impact?until electro therapy was no longer an option.

Doesn’t have much impact til it does, if that makes sense. I’m booked in for two procedures to alleviate my AF this year, cardioversion and ablation, check em out, both a bit scary, and I take a drug that could turn me silver with too much exposure to the sun.