Political | Posted on March 11th, 2026 | return to news

Hundreds of Dorset homes sitting empty for years

More than 800 properties in the county have been empty for two years or more, and Dorset Council is keen to help owners bring them back into use.

Empty Homes Week runs until 15 March, and during this time Dorset Council is encouraging anyone who may be responsible for an empty home now or in the future to bring it back into use.

The council’s Empty Homes Strategy expands the options available to help owners and reinforces that enforcement powers are only used where necessary.

Since 2022, Dorset Council’s interventions have brought 64 long-term empty properties back into use. In 2025/26, the number returned to use increased to 23 from 16 in the previous financial year.

Even though not all empty homes can be brought back into use due to limitations such as resources and funding, in the Dorset Council area there are still more than 800 properties that have been empty for two years or more, highlighting the scale of the challenge.

Homes fall empty for a wide range of reasons including: probate or inheritance delays; owners entering hospital or long-term care; financial barriers to repairs; abandoned or unused second homes; and stalled renovation or planning issues.

Cllr Gill Taylor, Cabinet member for Health and Housing, said: “Every empty home has a story and every story is different. What matters is that people know we are here to help. Whether you own an empty home yourself, are supporting a relative or friend, or think you may inherit a property in the future, please contact us early.

“We can offer practical solutions, guidance, and, where needed, more formal action to ensure these homes come back into use for the benefit of our communities and to help increase the availability of homes to meet the needs of local people.”

Focusing on the most urgent cases, the council may also find it hard to locate owners or next of kin, and legal processes can take a long time. There are also important human rights and equality issues to consider.

If you would like to find out more or access advice and support, please contact the Empty Homes team at Dorset Council.