News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the June / July 2003 issue RPI news archive

Empty homes take over - June / July 2003

Local authorities could be given power to take management control of empty homes.

This is one of the options being suggested by Housing Minster Tony McNulty for bringing an estimated 300,000 long-standing empty homes back into use.

'Empty homes blight communities. They are a magnet for vandals and tie up the resources of local authorities and emergency services. Bringing them back into use will provide much-needed housing and reduce the impact of development on urban fringes and the countryside', said McNulty.

Set out in the consultation paper Empty homes: temporary management, lasting solutions, the proposals list four options including allowing councils to lease empty properties on a voluntary basis, and giving them statutory power to take temporary management control of empty properties that are in a dilapidated condition or 'where they can justify this is in order to meet an identified housing need'.

The Government would 'not tolerate homes without people when there are people without homes', said McNulty. He suggested that new powers for councils to take temporary management control of properties would 'act as a back up to voluntary leasing schemes' which are already operating in some areas 'without unduly penalising the owners'.
 

other artilces from the June / July 2003 issue

• Victims of unfriendly fire
• Empty homes take over
• Little satisfaction in council complaints
• HB reform moves ahead
• HB reform moves ahead
• House prices still climbing
• Empire builder's charter
• Demand grows stronger
• In brief