Rotherham Council have faced social media backlash after launching their Empty Homes plan for the city.

Despite more than 6,500 households awaiting council homes, and hundreds of homelessness cases, the Council has said they’re committed to making neighbourhoods ‘cleaner, greener and safer’.

The Council have pledged ‘hundreds of new homes’ across the borough by 2026, and that recovering empty homes can be ‘a part of the solution’.

But despite the plan, Facebook users have torn into the Council’s response towards the amount of empty properties.

Facebook user, Bev Easterbrook said: “If there is these empty houses, why does my daughter and her baby son have to be made homeless?” 

Commenter Sophie Louise Brookes, said: “Instead of shoving people in hotels or hostels, give them a home if you want the numbers to go down.”

Jen Dean replied on the post: “Funny that! Apparently loads [of] empty houses but we can even bleeding get one!”

Facebook commenter Holly Wise, said: “[The] Council do right to try and push the owners to put these houses back into use, especially in the current housing shortage.”

The Council are encouraging owners with empty homes, or residents affected by by empty properties to contact the Council’s Empty Homes Officer by completing an online form.

Council Leader Chris Read added: “There are many genuine reasons why a property is left empty, and reasons can be complex and myriad, but majority of empty homes can be brought back into use.”