Buildings that are poorly designed, badly built or derelict not only have a negative impact on people’s sense of well-being but also on the economic vitality of neighbourhoods. This paper advocates mainstreaming ‘X-listing’ in planning as a  fast-track way to repair or replace failing buildings. X-listing allows people to identify the worst places in their neighbourhood, city or country, which they would like to see transformed or demolished. Once a building has been X-listed, the local authority must make sure action is taken to improve the site. Though X-listing is a rather unorthodox and challenging approach, it does give real power to citizens to improve their local environment. The paper gives practical pointers on how X-listing can be mainstreamed in town and city planning.