THE number of long-term empty properties in Kensington and Chelsea has soared according to a new report published this week.

Nearly one-in-50 homes in the Royal borough have been empty for six months or more, according to the national campaigning charity Empty Homes Agency.

The borough also has seen the total number of 'ghost-homes' increase, leading to concerns that 'buy-to-leave' investors are snapping up properties and allowing them to stay empty during a housing shortage in the capital.

The figures, which compare the number of empty properties in October 2012 with October 2013, also reveal other parts of West London are dealing better with the problem.

Hammersmith and Fulham and Ealing have some of the biggest reductions in the number of empty homes between 2012 and 2013. Across the country, Kensington and Chelsea come in 11 highest in the percentage of long-term empty properties in 2013. Its total number also rose 39.9 per cent from 1,215 homes in October 2012 to 1,700 in October 2013.

Despite having one of the smallest percentage of empty homes in the country, Hounslow did top the list for biggest percentage increase, with 427 ghost homes in 2013 compared to 17 the year before – representing an increase of 2,411.8 per cent, and dwarfing the 128.9 per cent rise seen by Harrow, which comes next on the list.

Helen Williams, chief executive of the agency which carried out the report, said: “Great strides have been made in reducing the number of homes that remain empty, but in some areas the numbers are on the rise again, and with around one and a half million households on council waiting lists we cannot afford to take our eye off tackling the national waste of empty homes.

“Some of the areas where the numbers are on the rise, such as parts of central London, have buoyant housing markets and speculative buying-to-leave may well be a factor requiring some imaginative responses.”

Hammersmith and Fulham (0.34 per cent), Ealing (0.4 per cent), and Hounslow (0.44 per cent) are all listed in the 20 English boroughs with the lowest proportions of empty homes. Hammersmith and Fulham enjoyed a fall of 62.4 per cent (747 in 2012 to 281 in 2013) in empty homes, with Ealing not far behind on 60.3 per cent (1,299 to 516). Only Manchester (69.2 per cent) saw a greater percentage fall in the country.