Islington Council has adopted new planning measures to stop the rise of ‘buy-to-leave’ properties by ensuring owners do not leave their homes empty for more than three months.
The new supplementary planning document (SPD) will allow the council to take legal action against any new home owners whose property is occupied for less than two weeks every three months.
Cllr James Murray, Islington Council's executive member for housing and development, said: ‘It's wrong if new homes are sold off-plan to investors who don't even rent the properties out. It's truly galling for Londoners who are desperately trying to find somewhere to live.
‘Our new measures make it clear that "buy-to-leave" is unacceptable. They make clear that new homes have to, at the very least, be lived in - I think that's a pretty reasonable thing to ask.’
The new planning rules will not affect existing homes.