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In commercial property, meanwhile use typically refers to the temporary, purposeful occupation of a vacant commercial property while it waits for a permanent tenant, sale, or redevelopment. It gives landlords, managing agents and councils a practical way to put empty buildings back into productive use rather than leaving them vacant.
ASTOP specialises in meanwhile use through genuine charitable occupation. We match empty commercial properties with registered charities, community groups and good causes that need space. We have a proven track record creating arrangements that qualify for business rates relief, help protect the building and deliver measurable benefits for local communities.
Whether you are looking for a use for a single empty shop or a significant portfolio of vacant properties, ASTOP provides a practical route from costly non-occupancy to productive use.
Why Meanwhile Use Is Important for Planning & Regeneration
A property might be empty while awaiting a new commercial tenant, sale, planning permission, redevelopment or refurbishment. Meanwhile use puts that space to work while plans are being made. The concept is recognised within UK planning and regeneration practice. It is popular because it follows a straightforward principle: an empty building does not have to remain empty simply because its long-term future has not yet been decided.
Through ASTOP’s work, suitable charities and good causes occupy commercial premises on flexible, short-term agreements. Rather than committing the landlord to a conventional long lease, ASTOP manages the occupation, maintaining the flexibility landlords need to regain their property when a commercial tenant, sale, or redevelopment is ready to proceed.
Meanwhile use is an established approach to managing periods of vacancy, increasingly used by landlords, developers, and councils across the UK.
How Meanwhile Use Compares To Property Guardianship And High Street Rental Auctions
Landlords and councils have several ways to deal with empty commercial property. The right approach depends on why the building is empty, how quickly it needs to return to permanent use and whether the landlord is actively engaged in finding a solution.
Meanwhile use is usually the most collaborative option if you’re looking to give an empty building a productive use, especially if the owner needs to retain flexibility. Where the occupation is genuinely charitable, the property can qualify for business rates relief, too.
Property guardianship takes a different approach. Guardians occupy otherwise vacant buildings primarily to provide a physical presence and security. This can suit some properties, but it does not offer the same charitable-use model or business rates position.
High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) are different again. They give eligible local authorities in England statutory powers to address qualifying persistently vacant high street premises. They are designed for situations where voluntary engagement has failed and can ultimately result in a lease of between one and five years being auctioned.
It’s important to note that the three approaches serve different purposes. Meanwhile use offers a fast, voluntary response where a landlord wants to act. Property guardianship focuses mainly on security and asset protection. High Street Rental Auctions provide councils with a statutory backstop for qualifying premises that remain persistently empty.
| Meanwhile Use | Guardianship | HSRA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Weeks | Weeks | Longer |
| Statutory Process | No | No | Yes |
| Rates Relief | Qualifies | No | Depends On Use |
| Flexibility | High | Varies | Low |
| Best Suited To | Cooperative Agreements | Security-led occupation | Persistent Vacancies |
For landlords already willing to act, meanwhile use is usually the more direct first step. It keeps the property active without waiting for statutory intervention and supports rather than replaces the building’s long-term commercial future.
How Meanwhile Use Reduces Business Rates
Business rates are probably the most immediate cost associated with keeping commercial property empty. Most commercial properties receive a three-month business rates exemption when they first become vacant, with qualifying industrial premises receiving six months. Once the relevant exemption expires, however, full business rates normally become payable unless another exemption or relief applies. Genuine charitable or community-based occupation changes the position. Where a property is wholly or mainly used for qualifying charitable purposes, it can receive 80% mandatory charitable rate relief. Local authorities also have powers to provide additional discretionary relief on top of that figure. Where additional discretionary relief is granted, the total relief can reach 100%.
This is where ASTOP’s meanwhile use model provides a significant commercial advantage. The arrangement must be genuine. Business rates relief is not created simply by placing a charity’s name on an agreement. The property must actually be occupied and visibly used for qualifying purposes. But when those requirements continue to be met, charitable occupation can provide ongoing relief, rather than relying solely on the short initial empty-property exemption.
How Meanwhile Use Works With ASTOP
ASTOP manages the process from the initial conversation through to the eventual handback of the property.
1. Tell Us About The Property
The process starts with the building itself. Tell us about the vacant property, its location and condition, your likely timescale and any restrictions or future plans we need to understand. We will assess whether meanwhile use is a realistic option rather than trying to force an unsuitable building into the model.
2. We Find A Suitable Charity Or Good Cause
ASTOP uses its UK-wide network to identify a vetted charity, non-profit organisation or good cause whose requirements match the available space. The aim is not simply to find any occupier. A successful arrangement needs a genuine organisation with a legitimate reason to use the building and activities suited to the property. Charities looking for premises also often approach ASTOP directly, giving us an active network of organisations seeking suitable temporary space.
3. We Put The Agreement In Place
We create short, terminable licence or tenancy arrangements with clear terms. This operates as an alternative to a conventional commercial letting contract. The arrangement preserves flexibility rather than hindering the property’s long-term future.
4. We Manage The Occupation And Report The Impact
ASTOP continues to manage the relationship after the charity moves in. We support communication between the parties and provide formal social value reporting to demonstrate what the occupation is achieving. This allows a practical empty-property decision to contribute to wider ESG, CSR and community objectives.
5. The Property Is Handed Back
Meanwhile use is, by design, temporary. Notice provisions allow the temporary occupation to end and the property to be returned in line with the landlord’s requirements. The long-term property strategy remains the priority throughout.
These five stages keep meanwhile use simple, controlled and aligned with the property’s long-term plan. ASTOP manages the detail throughout, so temporary occupation remains flexible, purposeful and easy to roll back when the site is needed again.
Meanwhile Use For Landlords
For landlords and managing agents, meanwhile use provides an alternative to simply waiting for the next commercial tenant. Vacancy carries direct costs through business rates, insurance, security and maintenance. Empty buildings are also more exposed to vandalism, deterioration and antisocial behaviour, while a visibly vacant unit can become harder to present positively to prospective occupiers.
ASTOP’s approach keeps suitable property active without asking landlords to sacrifice their longer-term plans. A registered charity or good cause gains useful space. The landlord retains a flexible route to possession. The building stays occupied and well cared for, rather than left standing empty, while qualifying charitable use can significantly reduce business rates liability. ASTOP has supported landlords with vacant buildings since 2009, working with commercial property owners, agents and asset managers across the UK. We know meanwhile use turns the period between commercial occupiers into something productive rather than treating vacancy as dead time.
Meanwhile Use For Councils
Meanwhile use for councils provides a practical way to tackle individual empty units while wider regeneration plans continue. Although Local authorities in England now also have High Street Rental Auction powers, meanwhile use offers a more collaborative route.
Councils across the UK have incorporated temporary occupation into regeneration approaches through measures including approved provider arrangements, support for meanwhile operators, and feasibility work on interim uses for larger redevelopment sites. For local authorities, the benefits go beyond filling an empty shop. Good meanwhile uses help keep frontages active, give charities and community organisations access to otherwise unaffordable premises and create social value while permanent solutions are developed.
ASTOP works with council property and regeneration teams to identify appropriate opportunities and charitable occupiers. Read more about how ASTOP works with councils and how UK councils are using meanwhile use to tackle vacancy.
Real-World Meanwhile Use Results
Meanwhile use is not theoretical for ASTOP. Since 2009, we have helped transform more than 500 vacant sites across the UK, saving landlords and charities more than £15 million in costs associated with unused premises. Our work ranges from individual vacant units to larger property portfolios and council-owned spaces. Our case studies demonstrate the central principle of meanwhile use: temporary occupation supports, rather than replaces, the property’s permanent commercial future.
If you have an empty commercial property and want to explore whether meanwhile use could work for your site, talk to ASTOP. We’ll assess the property, explain the options and identify a suitable route forward.
Frequently Asked Questions About Meanwhile Use
What Is Meanwhile Use?
Meanwhile use is the temporary, purposeful occupation of an empty property while it awaits a permanent tenant, sale, refurbishment or redevelopment. It gives vacant commercial property a productive interim use without replacing the owner’s long-term plans.
How Is Meanwhile Use Different From Property Guardianship?
Meanwhile use gives a vacant property a defined temporary purpose, which can include genuine charitable or community activity. Property guardianship primarily places people in vacant buildings to provide occupation and security. ASTOP’s meanwhile use model is based on vetted charitable occupation rather than residential guardians.
Does Meanwhile Use Reduce Business Rates?
It can. Where a property is wholly or mainly used for qualifying charitable purposes, the charity can qualify for 80% mandatory charitable rate relief. Additional discretionary relief may also be available from the relevant local authority.
How Quickly Can A Property Be Brought Into Meanwhile Use?
A suitable property can typically move into meanwhile use within weeks rather than months. There is no statutory auction process, but the exact timescale depends on the property, its condition, and the availability of an appropriate charitable occupier.
Is Meanwhile Use Available Throughout The UK?
Yes. Although many well-known meanwhile use projects are associated with London and other major cities, ASTOP works across the UK and has transformed vacant properties across a wide range of sites.
What Does Meanwhile Use Cost A Landlord?
ASTOP does not charge the landlord a fee for its service, and the charitable occupier uses the property rent-free. The model reduces vacancy costs while giving a charity or good cause access to valuable commercial space. The exact financial position depends on the property, its business rates liability and the relief available.
GET IN TOUCH
Put Your Empty Property Into Productive Use
Whether you’re a landlord with an empty commercial property or a council exploring options for a vacant town centre unit, talk to ASTOP about what meanwhile use could look like on a specific site. Our team will assess the property, explain the options and identify whether a suitable charity or good cause could put the space to productive temporary use.
Call ASTOP on 020 8748 1033 or email shaylesh@astop.org.uk.
