The ‘Matchmaker’ Scheme – matching empty home owners with buyers

The Matchmaker Scheme aims to match empty home owners (who would like to sell their property) with people who want to buy an empty home. If your empty home needs repair or if it is 'ready-to-move-in'  you are welcome to join the scheme.

Empty Homes for sale lets you view properties for sale through the Matchmaker Scheme.

Buyers' Requirements is a list of potential buyers of empty homes and their needs.

How do I join the Matchmaker scheme? 

To SELL your empty home please complete this form, then save it to your own folder and email it back to the Empty Homes Officer at the address below.  Your home must have been unoccupied over 6 months. 

To BUY an empty home please let us know what you are looking for by completing this form, saving it to your own folder and emailing it to the Empty Homes Officer at the address below.

On the page "Empty Homes for Sale", properties are displayed with details of the asking price, property (and name of estate agent if currently for sale).

On the page "Buyers' Requirements" are details of the buyers' preferred type of property, area, budget range and any other comments.

• When the Empty Homes Officer spots a 'match' between an empty home for sale and a buyer's requirements, the empty home owner will receive the buyer's details to follow-up. 
• Or if a buyer sees an empty property on the website which they might be interested in, they can contact the Empty Homes Officer to pass on their details to the seller. 

The Matchmaker Scheme is a FREE service.  The sales process takes place between the seller (and agent if appropriate) and buyer.

The empty home owner is expected to keep the Empty Homes Officer up to date with the progress of any sale.  If your property is already for sale with an estate agent, the council would recommend that you refer any sale through that agent following a 'match' through this scheme.

The Empty Homes Officer can be contacted

• by email at Empty.Homes@southlakeland.gov.uk
• by phone on 01539 717219
• or write to the Empty Homes Officer, Environment & Housing, South Lakeland District Council, South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal LA9 4DL  for more information.

What are the benefits of using the Matchmaker scheme?

• Matchmaker is a FREE service
• an empty home needing repair can give people on a lower budget the opportunity to buy at a more affordable price
• The empty property for sale will be seen by buyers specifically wanting an empty home
• an empty home gives the buyer an advantage of vacant possession
• builders looking for suitable properties to renovate can view details and a photo of  empty properties for sale
• instead of building new homes, this helps re-use homes which lie empty
• neighbours and local communities should benefit from neglected empty properties becoming homes again

For those not online, there are displays of empty homes for sale in the reception areas at the council's Kendal offices and Ulverston Town Hall.

We would like to thank South Derbyshire District Council's  Empty Property Officer who set up the original Matchmaker Scheme (running for over 12 months).