Brighton and Hove named among top UK areas with the highest number of vacant homes, according to new study

A new study, conducted by real estate experts at Five Star Cash Offer, who specialise in buying properties directly from homeowners looking to sell quickly, analysed housing data from 200 areas across the UK. They used government figures to determine which areas had the highest share of vacant homes in relation to the total housing stock.

To get the full picture, the researchers looked at the number of empty residential properties in each area and compared this to the total number of homes.

Brighton and Hove ranks 12th among UK areas with the highest number of vacant homes, with a total of 5,298 properties sitting empty. Out of 134,188 housing units in the coastal city, that equates to a vacancy rate of 3.95%. While not quite high enough to break into the top 10, it still places Brighton and Hove firmly above the national average, suggesting that housing availability in the area may not reflect the city’s high demand and rising property prices.

As one of the UK’s most popular seaside destinations, Brighton and Hove may experience higher levels of seasonal vacancy, especially with second homes and short-term lets playing a significant role in the local housing market. However, the figure also raises questions about long-term housing strategy, particularly as the city faces ongoing pressures around affordability and supply. Despite its vibrant economy and strong appeal to both young professionals and retirees, thousands of homes remain unoccupied, highlighting a gap between housing stock and actual use.

Meanwhile, Kingston upon Thames ranks 1st and has 3,303 empty homes out of a total of 70,527, giving it a vacancy rate of 4.68%. In second place is Liverpool, where 10,779 of the city’s 232,952 homes are unoccupied, equating to a 4.63% vacancy rate. Middlesbrough follows in third place, with 3,030 vacant properties from 65,749 homes, resulting in a 4.61% rate. Torbay, ranked fourth, has 3,135 empty homes from a total of 70,082, or 4.47%. In fifth place, Bolsover reports 1,693 vacant homes out of 38,636, giving it a vacancy rate of 4.38%.

Blackpool takes sixth position with 3,198 of its 73,328 homes sitting empty, a rate of 4.36%. Hartlepool is seventh, with 1,932 vacant homes out of 45,764, giving it a 4.22% vacancy rate. Portsmouth comes in eighth, with 3,702 homes unoccupied from 91,534, equating to 4.04%. Burnley ranks ninth, with 1,724 vacant properties out of 42,788, for a 4.03% rate. Rounding out the top ten is Preston, where 2,721 out of 67,655 homes are empty, resulting in a 4.02% vacancy rate.

At the other end of the scale, Havant, Westminster, Wyre, Lewisham, Crawley, Solihull, Test Valley, Gravesham, Chichester, and Bexley reported the lowest vacancy rates in the country. All ten areas had fewer than two per cent of homes standing empty, suggesting stronger housing demand, more efficient usage, or perhaps better local housing policies in play.

Elsewhere, major cities performed variably in the rankings. County Durham came in at 24th, Oxford at 31st, Leeds at 33rd, and Nottingham at 40th. Meanwhile, Sheffield landed at 68th, Birmingham at 73rd, Bristol at 145th, and Manchester much further down the table at 179th.

List of top 10 areas with the most vacant homes in the study: