More than 200,000 homes left unoccupied in England

England has as many as 200,145 empty properties across the country, with homes to the value of £43bn being left idle.

Research conducted by investment marketplace Property Partner unsurprisingly shows London as the primary culprit for idle homes, with the Kensington and Chelsea area of the capital taking the top spot with 1,399 empty houses. Nearly 20,000 homes have been unoccupied in London for more than six months.

The estimated value of unoccupied in property in London is edging towards the £1bn level, currently sitting at £956m after a 13% rise in the last year.

Nearly 20,000 homes have been unoccupied in London for more than six months

Outside of London, Birmingham was the next on the list, with 4,397 properties left empty, a rise of 13% in the last year, followed by Bradford (3,944) and Liverpool (3,449).

The data originates from the Department of Communities and Local Government, who surveyed long-term vacant dwellings between 2005 and 2016.

The number of vacant homes across England has barely moved in the last year, but has seen a drop of 35% over the last decade.

Newham in London has overseen one of the major transformations of empty homes, with the number being slashed by 55% to 593 from 1,318 in 2015.