§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what definition of the term empty property his Department uses. [121211]
§ Keith HillThe Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not use a standard definition of the term 'empty property'. It is commonly used to refer to property that is not occupied, even on an infrequent basis. Generally, properties that are used infrequently, such as second homes or holiday homes, are excluded from any definition but properties that are under-occupied, particularly in the case of commercial property, may not be.
955WThe Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recently published guidance, "Empty Property: Unlocking the potential—an implementation handbook" which sets out further information on identifying whether a property is empty. Copies of the guidance have been placed in the House Library.