Vacant Residential Properties

Lord Clark of Windermere Excerpts

Thursday 12th February 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Clark of Windermere (Lab)]

My Lords, does the Minister appreciate that there is another aspect of empty housing—that is, holiday cottages? In our national parks especially, we have a situation where holiday cottages stand empty for a number of months a year. There is not a large enough resident population, so things such as doctors’ surgeries are now under pressure because there are insufficient permanent residents. Would the Minister be prepared to meet the local authorities in national parks and discuss the possibility of allowing them to register and, on occasions, restrict the number of rented properties?

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon]

I would be pleased to do so.