Families going homeless whilst social properties lying empty, Lib Dem warns

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities

The Welsh shadow housing minister has expressed concern over the amount of social housing properties being left vacant while people languish on waiting lists.

Liberal Democrat Peter Black said that 3,943 Welsh families were without homes at the end of March 2012 when many properties were lying empty - a ten percent increase over the previous year.

Recent statistics have shown that both the number of vacant properties and the percentage of vacant social housing stock increased over the last year.

Mr Black said: “I am concerned that at a time of unprecedented demand we are not making the most of the housing stock that we have. The number of empty houses should not be increasing when more and more people need those houses as homes. Social Housing providers need to get their act together, turn around voids more quickly and adapt their stock to meet the need of those on their waiting list.”