Ghost Houses

There are more empty homes than homeless households in this country. Why?

Filled with cobwebs, windows broken, and rats scurrying about in their overgrown gardens, the UK has hundreds of thousands of ghost houses - properties where no one lives. The UK also has the worst homelessness problem in the rich world. So could we use those empty homes for the people in dire need of a home?

Simon Maybin investigates the phenomenon of empty homes and, over nine months, follows the work of someone trying to turn unused properties into homes for families among the record numbers who are now homeless.

Reporter/producer: Simon Maybin
Technical producer: Neil Churchill
Production coordinators: Ellie Dover & Tim Fernley
Editor: Richard Vadon