Empty homes loan

A loan for owners to bring their empty homes back into use. The home must have been empty for 12 months or more. 

How much the loan can be worth

Up to £20,000.

What repairs you can get help with

Any repairs that are needed to bring the house up to an acceptable living standard. There are some exceptions such as gardens, annexes, garages, conservatories, porches and sheds. We will visit you to assess the repairs and agree what we will help with.

How you repay the loan

This is an interest-free monthly repayment loan. You start paying the loan back one month after we approve your loan, and you can pay it back over a period of up to five years. We have produced a Rough Guide to Monthly Repayments (PDF, 194KB) showing how much you can expect to pay depending on how much you borrow. 

Conditions for the loan

• The loan must be registered as a legal charge at Land Registry.
• The property must either be occupied by yourself, or be rented to a tenant for the duration of the loan agreement. Each tenancy agreement must be for at least 12 months. There must not be any restrictions that prevents a person in receipt of welfare benefits occupying the property. 
• You must have buildings insurance in place. 

How you apply

We are experiencing high demand for financial assistance for home repairs. Your details will be added to a waiting list, and enquiries will be prioritised to ensure we assist the most urgent cases first.

This is not an application form and will only be used as a preliminary assessment of whether you are eligible for assistance. We may need to ask you for further information about your financial circumstances.

Complete the online Empty Homes Enquiry for Financial Assistance form.

Contact us

Page last reviewed: 27 August 2021