[DemolitionRed]

A house just up the street from my parents was abandoned and derelict. I'm not sure how the council went about things or whether they managed to contact the owners but it was bought under compulsory purchase and then sold at none profit to a person who could prove he had the funds to do it up. It was a listed building though so the council did have a preservation order.

Council compulsory purchase would be the way to go on abandoned buildings.