And management costs and lost rent can amount to millions of pounds.
Consortium service development manager Ian Wright said: "We plan to draw together a sample of about four authorities to look at how they are managing areas in decline.
"We will be forwarding our findings to the DTLR."
Knowsley council added up its extra costs to get the research started.
It was paying £420,000 for security and £500,000 in management costs a year.
Losses amounted to £1,500 per home, and lost rent on empties awaiting demolition was costing £2.5m per year.
Liverpool Housing Trust estimated it loses £2m a year on rents from empties, and spends £500,000 on security and council tax (Housing Today, 28 March).
Councils must pay half council tax on some of the empties which they own themselves, but have the power to exempt other landlords.
The government is considering increasing the levy to 100 per cent, in a move aimed primarily at second homeowners.
Source
Housing Today
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