The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has announced changes to the Empty Dwelling Management Order 2which the last government introduced. This gives power to local authorities to confiscate empty properties and to grant tenancies of such properties. A dwelling need not be in a run down state as a pre-condition for a local authority exercising its powers. Instead, the only requirement is for it to have been empty for six months. The Coalition believes the powers of councils are too draconian. It intends to amendthe legislation so councils can only target dwellings which have beeempty for at least two years and are subject to vandalism and anti-social behaviour.