"Void properties present a huge problem for social housing providers, especially in the current climate that has seen energy bills triple during the cost of living crisis"
As the housing crisis continues, urgent action is needed to ensure that resources are utilised effectively to meet the growing demand for affordable, sustainable housing.
There are approximately one million households waiting for social housing nationwide and significant delays impact the turnaround of properties between old and new tenants. Typical turnaround times can vary from anywhere between 6 to 90 days, but all-time delays cause landlords and housing providers to incur additional costs from void energy bills to loss of rent.
When rental properties are empty and there is no energy being used, there is a range of standing charges incurred that average between 10p and 80p per day for electricity and from 5p to 60p per day for gas, averaging out to £77 annually for electricity and £82 for gas3.
Additionally, in the event that a housing association or local council fails to provide a precise meter reading within the industry’s acceptable time frame, it is highly probable that the association will pay excessively for energy usage, and that’s because, in the absence of an accurate reading, the energy consumption will be estimated, based on the previous 12 months of usage, such as when the property was occupied. The best and most effective way to overcome this is by implementing smart meters.
Stephen Henesy, CEO and Founder of Helpthemove, said: “Void properties present a huge problem for social housing providers, especially in the current climate that has seen energy bills triple during the cost of living crisis. With demand growing so rapidly for social housing across the country, it is imperative that the industry responds to streamline the delay-ridden process and make a real difference for housing providers and tenants.”
