Cardiff council would need almost 30 times as many empty council homes to match the number of live applications on its housing list, new figures have revealed.
According to a freedom of information (FOI) request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, as of September 1, 2026, the number of empty council houses belonging to the council is only 351. This is broken down to three bedsits, 172 one-bedroom properties, 107 two-bedroom homes, 47 three-bedroom residences, and 22 four-bedroom houses.
Housing list numbers
As of September 1 the number of people on the council’s housing list is 9,671, which is more than 27 times the number of empty homes. All together, counting both occupied and unoccupied homes, the number of council houses owned by the council is 14,428.
An empty or “void” property is a council home that is currently unoccupied between tenancies or temporarily unavailable for letting due to inspections, repair, maintenance, adaptation, redevelopment, or other necessary work. The definition also includes newly-completed homes that have been handed over to the council’s housing team and are awaiting final tenancy sign-up arrangements and occupation by a new tenant.
Council response
As a result the headline figure of only 351 empty homes includes properties at different stages of being used. A council spokesman said: “The figure of 351 void properties represents a snapshot in time and includes a significant number of newly-completed homes that have only recently been handed over to housing services.
“Of these 83 are newly-built general needs homes and a further 77 are newly-built community living and extra care homes. As part of the handover and letting process newly-completed homes are recorded as voids until all final checks have been completed and tenants are able to move in. In many cases prospective tenants have already been identified and homes are progressing through the final stages of allocation and sign-up.
“The current figure therefore reflects a period of substantial delivery of new council housing, with many of these homes expected to become occupied shortly. This demonstrates the council’s continued investment in increasing the supply of affordable housing across the city rather than homes remaining empty for extended periods.”
Future plans
The spokesman added: “Other properties are undergoing reconfiguration works to create larger family-sized homes, while some form part of wider redevelopment schemes and are scheduled for demolition. The remaining 170 properties are progressing through the council’s standard void works process and require varying levels of inspection, repair, redecoration, and compliance work before they can be re-let.
“The council’s priority is to return properties to use as quickly as possible while ensuring they are safe, compliant, and suitable for incoming tenants. Many properties recorded as voids are therefore actively progressing through these processes and are not simply standing empty awaiting occupation.”
Additionally the council said the city is experiencing “unprecedented demand for social housing” and it is aiming to tackle this issue through the construction of more than 4,000 new homes, 1,900 of which have already been delivered.
