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.
Portsmouth, with 3,702 homes lying empty out of 91,534, records a 4.04% vacancy rate and ranks eighth on the list. Although it’s a bustling naval port city with a strong economy, Portsmouth hasn’t escaped the problem of unoccupied housing.
The vacancy rate might be the result of inherited properties not being sold or let, or simply properties falling into disrepair. Either way, in a city where rental prices continue to rise, this level of vacancy raises questions.
Kingston upon Thames leads the list in 1st with 3,303 vacant homes from 70,527, which is a vacancy rate of 4.68%. Liverpool is 2nd with 10,779 out of 232,952 homes empty, or 4.63%. Middlesbrough takes 3rd place, with 3,030 of its 65,749 homes unoccupied, a 4.61% rate. Torbay is ranked 4th with 3,135 vacant homes from 70,082, at 4.47%.
Bolsover sits 5th, showing 1,693 out of 38,636 homes vacant, or 4.38%. Blackpool follows in 6th with 3,198 of its 73,328 homes unoccupied, giving a 4.36% rate. Hartlepool is ranked 7th with 1,932 out of 45,764 homes vacant, or 4.22%. Burnley is 9th, recording 1,724 vacant homes from 42,788, for a 4.03% rate. Preston ranks 10th with 2,721 empty homes out of 67,655, giving 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. Brighton and Hove placed 12th overall, indicating higher vacancy pressures than most would expect. 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:
| Rank | Area | Total housing units | Vacant housing units | Vacant Homes Rate |
| 1 | Kingston Upon Thames | 70,527 | 3,303 | 4.68 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 232,952 | 10,779 | 4.63 |
| 3 | Middlesbrough | 65,749 | 3,030 | 4.61 |
| 4 | Torbay | 70,082 | 3,135 | 4.47 |
| 5 | Bolsover | 38,636 | 1,693 | 4.38 |
| 6 | Blackpool | 73,328 | 3,198 | 4.36 |
| 7 | Hartlepool | 45,764 | 1,932 | 4.22 |
| 8 | Portsmouth | 91,534 | 3,702 | 4.04 |
| 9 | Burnley | 42,788 | 1,724 | 4.03 |
| 10 | Preston | 67,655 | 2,721 | 4.02 |