1. What’s the current number of empty properties and long term empty properties across the council, as of June 2? If a figure is not available for June 2, please provide the most up-to-date figure available and state the date for which that figure is accurate. How many of those are owned by the council? What were the numbers as of 2 June 2019, in terms again of empty properties, long term empty properties, and council-owned empty/long term empty properties?
Council Tax:
As at 13 June 2025 we have 738 empty properties and 318 long term empty properties
As at 13 June 2019 we had 1,120 empty properties and 51 long term empty properties

Housing:
As of 2nd June 2025, there were 78 properties owned by WBC Housing plus Loddon/Berrybrook Homes (managed by WBC Housing) that were void.
As of 2nd June 2019, there were 53 properties owned by WBC Housing plus Loddon/Berrybrook Homes (managed by WBC Housing) that were void.

2. How many people were on the social housing waiting lists on those two dates?
2nd June 2025: 1329
2nd June 2019: We are not able to provide this information as we do not have the functionality within our current system to reproduce a list of social housing applicants from this date.

3. What’s the reason that the long term empty properties are currently void? Please provide a breakdown by void status – i.e. classifying them as available (Undergoing works, Ready for Occupation, TA: Ready for letting, Long cycle void group, Major Works, Minor repairs), temporarily unavailable (Unauthorised Occupant, Squatted, Capital void, Redevelopment), and permanently unavailable (Demolition, Disposal) or a similar classification method that you use.
Of the 78 properties, the breakdown is as follows:
35 = undergoing works
3 = undergoing adaptions
16 = ready for occupation
2 = undergoing structural works
22 = ‘mothballed’ waiting for demolition

4. Since 2019, have you undertaken any work around reducing your long term empty properties? If you have, was this done using internal resources, third party resources, or both?
No. We have always re-let each void property (with the exception of those for demolition/disposal) by completing all works required. Some properties may take longer due to specialist work required.

5. How many properties were brought back into use as a result in each of those years since 2019? What were the average financial costs per property, in order for them to be brought back into use?
Not applicable. We do not have a category of property that has been left as long term and so there has been no need to ‘bring back into use’.

6. What work is the council currently undertaking and what is it planning to undertake when it comes to reducing its long term empty properties?
Nothing is planned at the moment. All HRA properties and those managed by Wokingham Borough Council Housing undertake works and are relet.

7. Does the council offer financial support, in terms of grants or loans, to Long Term Empty property owners to help them bring properties back into use? If yes, how many owners have made use of that in every year since 2019?
The loans facility via FHIL is not currently operational. When it was operational, no empty home improvement loans were issued.

8. What’s the budget, if any, that the council has allocated for supporting the reduction of empty properties?
Not applicable / Not held.