Barnet has 5,361 homes empty for over six months as 3,000+ households live in temporary accommodation. Owners face up to 300% council tax; grants reach £40,000.

Barnet has 5,361 homes that have stood empty for more than six months, the council says. At the same time, more than 3,000 households are living in temporary accommodation.

Council officers visited 100 of the empty properties in a single night of action. Barnet Council announced the operation on 7 October, the day before World Vacant Homes Day.

At least 313 of the long-term empty homes are in probate, according to the council.

What officers checked

The visits were made by the council’s Housing Regulatory Services team. According to the council, officers checked that each property:

  • was secured against people getting in
  • was not causing problems for neighbours, such as fly-tipping or vermin

They also explained to owners the options and help available for bringing a home back into use. The council has not said which streets or wards were visited, or what officers found at the 100 addresses.

The council tax team then checks that owners of empty homes are paying the empty property premium. That can reach 300% of the normal council tax bill, depending on how long the home has been empty, the council says. Bands and charges for occupied homes are on our Barnet council tax bands page.

Why the council is pushing now

Cllr Ross Houston, deputy leader and cabinet member for homes and regeneration, linked the operation to the borough’s housing shortage.

“The council is facing a critical housing and homelessness crisis, leading to a massive increase to over 3,000 households living in temporary accommodation as of July 2026,” he said. “The cost of using these properties has more than tripled since 2023.”

He added that where owners “continue to leave properties empty without good reason and fail to maintain them, the appropriate enforcement action will be taken”. The council did not say what that action would be.

The council is also working through a £200m plan to close its budget gap. Evening checks by the same team on shared rented homes, announced on 30 September, led to 22 licence investigations.

Help for owners of empty homes

The council’s empty homes page sets out what is on offer. Grants depend on funding being available.

Help Who it is for What the council says
Empty property grant Landlords Up to £40,000, depending on the size and condition of the home
Grant for owners in care and key workers Owners in care who cannot return because of the home’s condition; key workers buying an empty home Up to £20,000 in one part of the page, up to £21,000 in another
Reduced VAT on building work Homes empty for two years or more 5% rate; the council charges £75 to confirm it
Free community skip Any resident Up to three large unwanted items every three months

The council’s announcement says owners of long-term empty homes may get a grant of up to £40,000 if they let the property through Bumblebee, a letting agent the council works with, for five years. Bumblebee has recently opened an office in East Barnet where owners can drop in.

What it means for you

  • If you own an empty home in Barnet, expect a higher council tax bill the longer it stays empty. Ask about a grant before you spend on repairs: email empty.properties@barnet.gov.uk or call 020 8359 5420.
  • If an empty house near you is attracting fly-tipping, vermin or break-ins, you can report it on the council’s empty homes page or by calling 020 8359 5420.
  • If you want to know who owns an empty property, the council says it cannot tell you. Ownership is generally available from HM Land Registry.