During the costly Christmas season, many individuals seek opportunities to boost their finances post-holiday. Roy Foulkes, a retired police officer residing in West Hallam, Derbyshire, has generated over £5,500 in cash and vouchers by identifying and reporting vacant properties through YouSpotProperty.
Introduced to YouSpotProperty in 2024, Foulkes has continuously utilized the platform to earn extra income. The program rewards individuals for pinpointing long-term vacant houses, offering a £20 Amazon or M&S voucher for each correct identification. Moreover, if YouSpotProperty purchases, renovates, and sells a reported property, the spotter receives 1% of the purchase price, capped at £10,000.
Foulkes has accrued £4,750 in 1% rewards from two properties rescued by YouSpotProperty, in addition to 39 £20 vouchers totaling £780. His earnings have contributed to household items, holiday expenses, and memorable experiences with his grandchildren.
The initial property that qualified for the 1% fee was discovered by Foulkes during a walk in his former beat, where he noticed an abandoned home previously reported to the local council without action. The second property grabbed his attention near an ex-local authority house in Derby, hidden behind overgrown trees and neglected, posing risks of damp transfer due to the inactive central heating.
Expressing satisfaction with his earnings, Foulkes highlighted the joy of engaging in family activities and upcoming travel plans, including recent cruises and future visits to Disneyland and various destinations. Alongside the monetary rewards, Foulkes has utilized his vouchers for household purchases, emphasizing the sense of contribution to society while earning supplementary income through valuable reporting efforts.
The Empty Homes Network estimates that England and Wales hold over £465 billion worth of empty or unused properties. YouSpotProperty distributes approximately 110 £20 M&S or Amazon vouchers monthly to individuals reporting eligible properties, with 350 to 450 properties reported weekly. The company pays an average of seven 1% reward fees each month for acquired properties, ranging from £17,000 to £3 million over the past year.
Benjamin Radstone, co-founder of YouSpotProperty.com, emphasized the company’s significant role in revitalizing empty properties and rewarding the public for their contributions.