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EMPTY PROPERTIES
Empty homes not only have financial implications for the owner (it is estimated the cost could be up to £6000 per annum including lost income) but can also be a security and health and safety risk within the community.
It should be noted that if just 1% of empty homes in England were let, the extra rental income would exceed £30 million (Re-Leasing the Empties - issued by the Empty Homes Agency)
Bringing empty homes back into use will help improve local areas and will reduce the need for green field site development. It also means that properties are released back into the private sector as owner occupied or let dwellings to help resolve issues of homelessness and overcrowding in the Borough.
Charnwood Borough Council has developed a strategy to address the problems relating to empty homes within the borough.
Once a property has been empty for two years, the Private Housing Section will contact the owners or agents to discuss all the possible options available to them to bring the property back in to use.
A new power under the Housing Act 2004 allows local authorities to obtain interim empty dwelling management orders for any properties that are empty for six months or more and the Council will exercise this option in the appropriate circumstances.
For more details, you may also wish to visit the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government
Enforcement Protocol
Following the implemenatation the Housing Act 2004,the Private Housing Team has produced an Enforcement Protocol which deals with Parts 1 and 4 of the Act. This can be viewed using the link below.
Empty Homes Enforcement Protocol (PDF Document 135.8 Kb.)
New Assistance for Empty Home Owners
In April 2007, the Private Housing team revised the Grants policy to include a Partnership Grant. This enables owners of empty properties to apply for a grant of up to £10,000 to ensure the dwelling meets the decent homes standard. For more information and the qualifying criteria, please visit the Grants page.
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