Ireland Has World’s 10th Highest Rate of Vacant Homes
Ireland ranks 10th globally for the highest proportion of vacant homes. Homelessness is undoubtedly a huge global problem. With an estimated 100 million people currently homeless, the fact there are millions of homes around the world lying empty is even more shocking. Globally Japan had the highest vacancy rate, with 13.6 per cent of its 60 million homes lying idle. This was linked to the Asian state’s ageing population and falling birth rate. Japan’s second-home tax may also be putting people off inheriting relatives’ properties due to hefty fees. With the 10th highest rate, Ireland was ranked ahead of European countries France (7.8 per cent), Denmark (5.9 per cent) and England (0.9 per cent). The Government has mooted the idea of introducing a vacant property tax but said it requires time to collect data on vacancy levels. The vacancy rate of a state’s housing stock is difficult to determine as homes may be temporarily vacant for a number of reasons. More than a third of the properties classified as vacant here are owned by elderly people.
Tags : INTERNATIONAL properties Government Ireland Homelessness Vacant Homes Ageing Population Falling Birth Rate