THEY are, in essence, a wasted resource.
The empty houses with shuttered doors and windows which frustrate those on the housing waiting lists and the communities which are made to look neglected by their presence.
The shortage of affordable housing in this country continues to be critical. And the focus is, of course, on that word affordable.
There are many families and individuals who cannot afford to buy which makes renting in both the private and public sectors all the more crucial.
It makes it all the harder to see 4,500 homes standing empty in Kirklees when there are 6,800 people on the waiting list, many of them families needing a secure and decent roof over their heads.
Putting these empty properties back into order may well cost money but every avenue must be explored to better balance the numbers and get more houses turned into homes.
It has to be said that even if every one of those properties currently on the Kirklees vacant list were found occupants, the figures still would not add up.
This is not a single solution to a very complex problem. But every one of those houses filled potentially means another family or individual taken off the waiting list and another community with neighbours instead of an eyesore in their street.
