Linda Williams, a 62-year-old grandmother from Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, funded a £700 luxury Norwegian fjords cruise by reporting an empty property. She earned £420 from the sale of a long-abandoned house in Haydock, near St Helens, through the Empty Property Hunters scheme.
How the Empty Property Hunt Works
Linda, who runs a gift and card shop, is part of a network of amateur sleuths helping to bring abandoned properties back into use. She spotted the empty house in Haydock, which had been left vacant due to probate complications. She reported it to Empty Property Hunters, who negotiated a purchase for around £50,000. The sale earned Linda a £20 referral fee and a £400 share of the proceeds.
“It was so rewarding to know the house is finally going to be lived in again. Seeing it fall to such disrepair seems such a waste,” Linda said. “Being paid £400 just like that was a rare windfall. I usually have to save my money for trips like this, but it takes me time. It was absolutely fantastic to be able to take off so spontaneously to somewhere I’ve always wanted to go.”
A Hobby That Pays
Linda, a passionate walker, varies her 20,000 daily steps to spot empty properties. She recently submitted a property in Carlisle and is hopeful about a lead from a stranger at a bus stop. “I’m more than happy knocking on neighbours' doors to ask if a nearby property is empty,” she said. Her tip-off about the Haydock house came from a chance conversation.
For each successful lead, scouts receive an initial £20. If the property is sold, they earn around one per cent of the purchase price. Linda explains: “A simple tip off gets me £20, might not seem a huge amount, but we all like a little bit extra, don’t we? If you walk past £20 in the street, you would pick it up.”
The Bigger Picture: Britain’s Empty Homes Crisis
According to Empty Property Hunters, more than one million residential properties across England are currently empty, including around 265,000 that have been unoccupied for at least six months. Most are left empty due to bereavement, probate delays, family disputes, or owners moving overseas. This is striking given the housing crisis: while ministers pledged 300,000 new homes a year, only about 200,000 were completed last year. If England's empty homes were lined up, they would stretch from Land's End to John O'Groats and halfway back. An estimated 382,000 people in England are without a home.
Linda’s Cruise Experience
Linda boarded the MSC Virtuosa in Southampton and cruised to South Queensferry (Edinburgh), Stavanger, Hausgesund, and Kristiansand. She danced in a class led by Strictly Star Shirley Ballas, enjoyed the pools and jacuzzis, and fine dining. “I’ve always worked hard and never been the kind of person that wins anything,” she said.
How to Get Involved
To report an empty residential property, visit the dedicated Daily Star/Empty Property Hunters web page at
