You must be prepared to deal with purchasing an empty property as it can sometimes be a long and difficult process, with no guarantees of a sale. There may also be complicated reasons why the property is empty. You must start by trying to locate the owner.
Land Registry
If you want to find the owner of an empty property, you can search the Land Registry. Searches cost about £4.
It is worth noting before you commit to a search that the address of the owner is often the same as the empty property.
Detective agencies
If you have the owner's name, you could use a search agency. Agents can be found in business directories under 'Detective Agencies'. They would charge a fee for making searches on your behalf.
Through the Empty Properties Team
If you have seen an empty property you would like to purchase, we can pass on details to the owner if we are able to trace them. The owner can then contact you directly if they are interested in selling the property.
Any agreement subsequently reached between you and a property owner would be a strictly private arrangement in which we would play no part.
To make an enquiry you can contact the Empty Properties team.