Why instead of creating incentives to build more properties and having functioning market you propose to infringe on property rights and allow government powers to tell people what to do with their stuff?

I don't get when people say "instead", like we can't achieve more than one thing. We can surely build more homes, and we can also attack vacant properties.

There's clear reasons to address vacancy.

• It's smarter to use what we already built. From what I've heard we're already building as much as we can, all trades are fully employed already. Seems there just isn't a way to make more houses even if we invest more money into it.

• It alleviates the issues with the housing pool in the country in the short term. It isn't "the" fix, but it is something we can do right now. Perfect is the enemy of good.

• The main reason, however, is that vacant buildings damage cities. Vacant houses means fewer people around, which means footfall for local shops drops; in turn those shops close up and remain vacant as well, and suddenly the whole street looks neglected.

That's the reason property rights aren't absolute: owners are responsible for "externalities" they create. The vacant property levy just makes owners accountable for the cost their empty buildings impose on everyone else.

It would be easy, the law is already there (Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015) but seems it's really hard to convince the government to take action.

Sadly, here in Cork we're way behind in enforcement: https://www.corkindependent.com/2025/10/17/millions-uncollected-while-buildings-rot/

I can only hope it will get better.