More than 1,600 homes are empty in Bolton and one estate agent says it is not enough to home families on the council waiting list.

Matthew Fish, of Harrisons Estate, looked at the figures for families in Bolton on the council house waiting list and the number of empty homes.

Despite there being 3,869 empty homes in Bolton, this is due to the fact that each local authority adds houses even if they have been empty for just a week if someone is moving.

This takes the figure down to just 1,642 properties empty for more than six months which is just a ‘drop in the ocean’ if they were given to any of the 9,042 families across Bolton.

Matthew said: “The fact is that the number of genuinely long-term empty properties is only a tiny drop in the ocean of the 118,790 properties in the area covered by Bolton Borough Council and, even if every one of those empty homes were filled with tenants tomorrow, it would only meet a small fraction of Bolton’s housing needs.

“Every October on one specific day, each local authority must report every property that is empty, even if it’s only been so for a week.”

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Some properties are being refurbished and renovated, some are deceased estates, while other properties have homeowners that have moved out and are in the process of being sold.

Matthew said: “This scarcity of available homes contributes to the maintenance of high rents, which presents a favourable situation for Bolton landlords who are investing in buy-to-let properties.

“Simultaneously, it also serves to keep Bolton house prices at a relatively elevated level.

“The implications of this situation are particularly evident in the context of Bolton's rental market, where the demand for properties is exceptionally high.

“Due to the challenges faced by young individuals in affording homeownership and the financial constraints limiting the construction of new council houses by local authorities, the growth of the rental market becomes an undeniable reality. “

Consequently, landlords predominantly focus their investments on the lower end of the housing market, such as starter homes, further fortifying property prices.