Empty homes reach decade high
Wednesday 26th August, 2026
Around 750,000 UK homes are empty, leaving owners exposed when standard insurance stops covering properties after 30 to 60 days.
This gives Rightmove a natural chance to talk about the practical challenges owners face when homes sit empty between sale, rent or renovation.
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Why have we flagged this?
Rising empty-home numbers are a significant housing story, and you could strengthen national coverage with data on where vacant properties are listed and local market trends.
Get reactive idea inspiration
Thinking...
These are starting points for inspiration, not finished ideas.
Data idea
Measure rental listings still available after 60 days
Show how many rental properties remain advertised beyond the period when standard insurance cover can become restricted.
Data to investigate: Analyse your rental listing data to calculate the share still available after 60 days, by region.
Why: It turns the national empty-homes story into a clear, local measure of prolonged rental vacancy.
Newsjack
Create a vacant-home checklist for absent owners
Publish a simple guide covering insurance, security, heating, inspections and finding a tenant or buyer.
Newsjack angle: Create the checklist within days and pitch it to national consumer, property and regional news desks alongside the empty-homes figures.
Why: It gives journalists an immediately useful service story for the hundreds of thousands of owners affected.
Expert comment
Warn owners that empty homes are becoming costly liabilities
Argue that leaving a property vacant is no longer a passive choice as insurance, security and maintenance risks mount.
Expert comment angle: Offer this view to consumer property and personal finance journalists, with practical advice on letting, selling or actively managing vacant homes.
Why: It gives the story a useful consumer warning rather than repeating insurers’ sales message.