Residents of South Kesteven are asked to report privately-owned homes that are standing empty in their neighbourhoods.
It will help South Kesteven District Council gain a better understanding of just how many homes are unoccupied and potentially bring them back into use.
Councils up and down the country are making similar requests as part of a Government drive to help address the national housing shortage.
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that South Kesteven is bucking the national trend of the number of long-term empty homes increasing.
ONS data reveals the reverse to be true. The figure for last year was 419 district-wide, compared to 480 in 2016 – a fall of 13%.
SKDC often knows when a property is empty due to Council Tax data, but there will be some it is unaware of.
At any one time, around 1,500 properties in South Kesteven can be unoccupied for periods of up to six months for reasons such as relocation, exchanges or probate.
Properties that are abandoned can deteriorate over time and can attract vermin or anti-social behaviour.
SKDC will work with the owners of abandoned homes wherever possible to ensure a positive outcome without the need for enforcement action and has had many successes with this approach.
In extreme circumstances, the council may take enforcement action to bring a property back into occupation.
This can happen when the owner cannot be traced, refuses to engage with the council or the Council Tax is not being paid.
In certain situations, the council can undertake repairs to a private dwelling and charge the cost of those works to the owner.
It can also legally take on the management of a dilapidated property, make a compulsory purchase or enforce a sale if Council Tax is owed and unpaid.
SKDC’s Empty Homes Project Officer Peter Harrison said: “Homes can become empty because the owner lives far away, perhaps a death in the family, breakdown of a relationship or because the property, or cost of that property, has become unmanageable.
“Having an empty property on your hands can lead to the accumulation of a lot of unwanted stress.
“Here at SKDC we have the ability and the skill sets to work with people to help them achieve the best possible outcome for them.”
SKDC’s Empty Homes Project Officer Peter Harrison is pictured outside a derelict property the council is considering taking enforcement action on as the owner has yet to engage and it has been left insecure and open to the elements.
SKDC’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, Cllr Virginia Moran said: “Homes are built to be lived in, not to stand empty, and empty homes can soon become a blight on communities.
“We need the help of our residents to locate those empty homes we don't know about.
“If there is an empty property near you that could become a place to live in again, let us know, even if they think we are already aware of it.”
The focus of this initiative is on private sector properties as council house occupancy is subject to separate checks and balances.
Empty properties can be reported to Customer Services on 01476 406080 or email EHS@southkesteven.gov.uk