Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Team from a report by Property118. Read the original article for full details.
Propertymark Calls for Landlord Recognition in Empty Homes Strategy
Propertymark has urged the Welsh government to support private rented sector landlords to help tackle the empty homes crisis. The industry body gave evidence to the Senedd's Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee on empty homes, calling on the Welsh government to recognise the role private landlords can play in bringing vacant properties back into use.
The evidence session places the PRS at the centre of discussions over how Wales addresses long-term vacant housing. According to Property118, Propertymark's message to the committee was that landlords should be supported, rather than overlooked, as part of the solution.
What This Means for Letting Agents and Inventory Clerks
For letting agents operating in Wales, the development signals that the sector's representative body is actively making the case for landlords within the Senedd's housing policy work. Empty homes policy has direct operational implications for agents: bringing a vacant property back into use typically involves a full re-let process, from marketing and referencing through to check-in.
Inventory clerks also have a clear stake in any push to return empty properties to the market. Properties that have stood vacant often require condition assessments and detailed inventories before they can be re-let, and a policy environment that encourages landlords to act could generate additional instructions for firms providing these services.
A Cautious Picture
The source report does not set out the specific measures Propertymark proposed, nor any response from the Welsh government or committee members. It includes no figures on the scale of Wales's empty homes problem and no timescales for policy change. As such, the practical impact on agents and clerks remains to be seen.
The empty homes debate in Wales now includes an explicit call for the PRS to be treated as part of the solution. Letting agents and inventory professionals with an interest in Welsh housing policy should watch for further developments from the committee's work.
Source: Property118