Tackling London’s empty homes crisis

Over 105,000 homes in London are currently empty, an 81% increase since 2016, with numbers rising sharply in recent years. Empty homes now make up around 2.7 per cent of the capital’s housing stock, reducing availability and adding pressure to London’s housing crisis.

The London Assembly Housing Committee will tomorrow examine the scale of empty homes in London and what more can be done to bring them back into use.

Members will explore the causes behind rising levels of empty homes across both private and social housing, including issues such as probate delays, lack of funding for repairs, regeneration schemes, and “buy to leave” investment. They will also assess how boroughs are tackling the issue and what further action is needed from the Mayor and the Government.

Guests will include:

Panel 1: 10.00am-11.15am

• Tara Clinton, Associate, Arup
• Chris Bailey, Director of Policy and Campaigns, Action on Empty Homes
• Sam Bloomer, Policy Officer, Shelter

Panel 2: 11.20am-12.35pm

• Evelyn Williams, Empty Homes Officer, London Borough of Waltham Forest and Board Member, Empty Homes Network
• Joyce Amoateng, Empty Homes Coordinator, London Borough of Camden
• Yus Nordin, Empty Homes Officer, London Borough of Lewisham

The meeting will take place in the Chamber at City Hall on Wednesday 10 June 2026 at 10am.

Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

Follow us @LondonAssembly.

1. Lord Bailey of Paddington AM, Chair of the Housing Committee, is available for interview.
2. Find out more about the work of the Housing Committee.
3. Read the agenda in full.
4. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

For more information, please contact Daniel Zikmund in the Assembly Media Office on 07860647577 or [email protected]. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.