Online Toolkits To Tackle Scandal Of Empty Homes

[okaycuckoo]

This looks like the interesting bit - but not available to the public:

The Geographical Information System (GIS) Empty Homes Mapping Toolkit, which plots the location of long term empty homes in private ownership across the country, has been developed to allow councils to pinpoint empty homes 'hot spots' in their area, and work with the landlords and local community to bring the derelict properties back into use.

http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/housing/1909121

[Snugglybear]

This looks like the interesting bit - but not available to the public:

The Geographical Information System (GIS) Empty Homes Mapping Toolkit, which plots the location of long term empty homes in private ownership across the country, has been developed to allow councils to pinpoint empty homes 'hot spots' in their area, and work with the landlords and local community to bring the derelict properties back into use.

http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/housing/1909121

The "working with the landlords" bit can apparently include financial and other forms of help to enable private landlords to rent out properties. See e.g. Gloucester

http://www.gloucester.gov.uk/LGNL/Housing/Privatehousing/Housing-emptyresidentialproperties/emptyproperties.aspx

"Environmental Health and the Housing Service work in partnership to bring empty properties back into use. Environmental Health offer advice, management services and grants as outlined below.

...

■Free advice to enable you to let and manage the property yourself

■Worry free and comprehensive management service if you choose to let it through us, including assistance with day to day repairs.

■To buy the property from you in its present condition to repair and sell/rent out ourselves.

...

Empty Property Grants are intended to reduce the number of long term empty properties by providing financial help to restore or renovate them so that they can be brought back into use. They are available to owners of residential properties that have been empty for 6 months or longer. "

The Government, in the form of the Communities and Local Government Department, could well be supplying some or all of this funding. See http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1813446

[okaycuckoo]

Interesting link to Gloucester. Thanks.

So £15k grant to repair, with the prospect of direct HB payments. Or LA may buy the property, subject to funding on a professional valuation with discount for repair costs.

You can email the LA guy in charge of it:

gareth.eakers@gloucester.gov.uk

Edited May 29, 2011 by okaycuckoo

[Snugglybear]

Interesting link to Gloucester. Thanks.

So £15k grant to repair, with the prospect of direct HB payments. Or LA may buy the property, subject to funding on a professional valuation with discount for repair costs.

You can email the LA guy in charge of it:

gareth.eakers@gloucester.gov.uk

It isn't only Gloucester - I just gave that as an example.

Google "landlord grant" "empty homes grant" "housing supply grant" and similar wording - different councils use different terms. Or trawl through your local council's website to see what help it gives.

[Solitaire]

Son is looking for a property to do up as they are obviously cheaper than the refurbished, betwigged lifestyle premium valued homes you get around our area. So we contacted our council to ask for a list of empty properties. No chance. They encourage people to report an empty home but won't allow the public access to the information because 'releasing information about empty properties and particularly their addresses would prejudice the prevention of crime”,

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/41612/response/109257/attach/html/3/MrCPEnglandandLondonBoroughofBexleyvInformationCommissioner%2010May2007%202.pdf.html

Personally I think it's rather more a case of Council employees want first dibs either for themselves or information exchanged for a brown enveleope!

All he can do is register as an interested party but this will only get him information on properties that have been acquired by the council and are being sold on. Considering only about 6 properties have been brought back into use over the past three years by our council (from memory) the whole exercise seems like a waste of time and tax payers money.

http://www.everyhomecounts.info/reporting

edited to make it look tidier.

Edited May 30, 2011 by Solitaire

[Snugglybear]

<snip> Son is looking for a property to do up as they are obviously cheaper than the refurbished, betwigged lifestyle premium valued homes you get around our area. So we contacted our council to ask for a list of empty properties. No chance. They encourage people to report an empty home but won't allow the public access to the information because 'releasing information about empty properties and particularly their addresses would prejudice the prevention of crime”,

I suspect the council doesn't want to be accused of / get sued for providing information that leads to squatters taking up residence.

[wjk]

I suspect the council doesn't want to be accused of / get sued for providing information that leads to squatters taking up residence.

Or perhaps they're purposely hiding / withholding them from the market to keep the bubble prices from deflating.