Many of these homes were originally built for local communities with a focus on practicality, particularly in the market towns and rural areas of the Hampshire Downs. Now, it’s essential to reconnect these properties with their rightful owners and bring them back into use. We are dedicated to helping councils reduce the number of empty homes in the region.
England currently faces a significant challenge, with over one million empty homes. These vacant properties not only contribute to the housing shortage but also negatively impact communities by attracting vandalism, reducing property values, and posing safety threats. Family Wise is here to help local councils and authorities tackle this issue by tracing property owners and transforming empty houses into valuable assets for the community.
Empty homes can arise for many reasons, including:
- Inability to trace the property owner (or heirs)
- The property may be involved in legal proceedings, such as probate
- Lack of funds to meet maintenance costs
- Land or planning disputes
There are many impacts of empty homes on the community such as:
- Attracts vandalism and crime
- Causes damage to nearby properties, such as health issues to people due to lack of maintenance
- Poses a safety threat
- Reduces the value of the property and the surrounding area
- Reduces housing availability
Why choose Family Wise?
Family Wise is a probate genealogy firm specialising in people tracing and estate administration. We provide free services to local councils to assist in bringing empty homes back into use. We are often first on the property where the property has been ill-maintained and the property owner has passed away. Our expert team can locate missing property owners or heirs, even in complex international cases.
Our services include:
- Homeowner tracing
- Property clearance and security
- Property valuation and guidance through the sale process
- Probate administration and resolving inheritance complexities
- Liaising with third parties
We have many years of experience tracing property owners and their next of kin all over the world, dealing with estate administration, and providing support and assistance in property management.
Our proven methods ensure efficient tracing and resolution. We handle cases sensitively, understanding the impact of empty homes on communities. We provide end-to-end support from tracing property owners to clearing properties and supporting communication and administration.
Transforming communities
By bringing empty homes back into use, we help:
- Increasing housing supply
- Provides accommodation for those in need
- Increasing property value and generating income for the owner
- Rehabilitating vacant homes boosts neighbourhood appeal
- Reducing the risk of crime and anti-social behaviour
- Contributes to the regeneration of the area
If you would like to book a call with our dedicated team or for more information, please call us on 01249 476777.
Breakdown of our services
Homeowner tracing
In many instances the homeowner is deceased. Sometimes the property (or a share thereof) was purchased many years ago, and our task is to locate the property owner. We are able to employ a variety of methods to find this information. Our service is bespoke where the individual is known to reside overseas. Get in touch to find out more!
Property clearance and security
Often, we are first on the property, which may have been in a state of disrepair for some time. Our team secure the property and, where necessary, organise empty homes insurance. We can also clear the property and our dedicated team ensures that important family papers and mementoes are kept.
Property valuation and guidance through the sale process.
We often work with a firm of auctioneers and may have to work to establish a deed of title.
Probate administration and resolving inheritance complexities
In some instances, the deceased property owner may have left a Will, of which a portion may be ‘intestate’, for example where no provision has been made for the death of a residuary legatee. We are able to navigate these situations, and to provide top-level updates of the state of play as needed.
Liaising with third parties
We have been involved with rehoming pets, the sale of boats and caravans, and changing the locks (where directed). There are many tasks which need to be carried out when resolving empty properties. Give us a call to find out how we can help.
