In February 2024, Folkestone and Hythe District Council’s Private Sector Housing team began intensive work to tackle a long‑standing and severely problematic empty property that had blighted the local community for years. The privately owned house had been unoccupied for many years and had fallen into an extreme state of neglect. It had been repeatedly broken into, left insecure, ransacked, filled with large quantities of rubbish, and subjected to damage and extensive graffiti. The property had become a persistent source of anti‑social behaviour, causing understandable fear, distress, and frustration for neighbouring residents.
From the outset, the case demanded substantial officer time, detailed investigation, and close partnership working. Initial enquiries revealed uncertainty over whether the owner was even alive. To progress the case, Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) sought specialist support from Fraser & Fraser, genealogists and probate researchers, who helped confirm that the owner was indeed still living. FHDC officers then undertook further work to trace and make contact with the owner, beginning efforts to try and secure the property and address the hazards.
By the summer of 2024, after exhausting all informal options, FHDC was forced to use its statutory powers under the Public Health Act to serve a Notice requiring the removal of the waste within the property. When the Notice was not complied with, FHDC officers continued attempts to engage with the owner, but these efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful.
In early 2025, FHDC initiated procurement for contractors to clear the waste and secure the building. Recognising the complexity of the case, FHDC worked closely with Kent County Council’s “No Use Empty” team, seeking expert advice on the use of the enforced sale procedure via the Law of Property Act, and were subsequently introduced to the specialist legal team at Bevan Brittan LLP in Leeds.
By late summer 2025, with the support of Folkestone‑based DMS Property Maintenance, FHDC commenced works in default, undertaking a full clearance of the waste and re‑securing the house. Bevan Brittan LLP then began the lengthy, detailed, and legally complex process required to enable FHDC to force the sale of the property.
As the legal work progressed, FHDC also engaged Motis Estates in Folkestone to provide a professional valuation and appointed Clive Emson Auctioneers in Maidstone to handle the eventual sale once permitted. Assistance was also sought from EPC Direct Ltd in Folkestone.
During this period, officers of FHDC were required to revisit the site multiple times following further break‑ins, and even had to respond to a gas leak, demonstrating the ongoing risk and resource demand associated with the property.
Once FHDC became the first mortgagee over the property, additional support was sought from Absolute Security in Folkestone, who changed the locks and provided new keys to ensure the building remained secure.
Although delays at HM Land Registry pushed the timetable back, the property was finally able to be sold in February 2026—achieving a figure well above the reserve price. Through the sale proceeds, FHDC successfully recovered all costs associated with clearing and securing the house, including outstanding council tax.
This case demonstrates the significant commitment, expertise, and persistence of Folkestone and Hythe District Council’s Private Sector Housing team, as well as the value of strong partnership working with specialist firms, Kent County Council’s “No Use Empty” initiative, specialist legal providers, and wherever possible local firms and traders. It highlights the substantial officer time needed to resolve long‑term problematic empty homes and showcases how coordinated action can turn a dangerous, derelict property into a safe and productive asset once again.