Wolverhampton considers new powers to force landlords to rent out empty shops
Councillors in Wolverhampton 'would consider' measures to force landlords to rent out long-term empty shop units.
According to Wolverhampton council, over 1,500 properties lie empty in the city - but drastic new powers which would bring empty shops back into use by putting them up for so-called rental auction could be considered by the authority in the future.
High street rental auctions (HSRAs) provide new powers for local authorities to bring persistently vacant commercial properties back into use, by forcing landlords to rent them out to new tenants such as local businesses or community groups - potentially at heavily reduced rates.
HSRAs were introduced in December 2024 as part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, but according to the government, no local authority nationwide has yet been able to use the powers to bring a property back into use.
One in seven shops now lie empty across the UK, with the government describing the issue as a "a blight on our high streets" in guidance issued to local authorities in December, which urged them to take action.
