Empty properties
Empty properties are more than a potential home for a household to live in. They are a blight on a neighbourhood and may be associated with criminal activity. We do whatever is in our power to bring these properties back into use.
What we can do to help
When we are aware of a property being empty we will attempt to contact the owner to establish what steps they are taking to remedy the situation. We may be able to assist through grants or loans depending upon the individual circumstances, such as how long the property has been empty for and what funds are available.
Compulsory purchase order
In some circumstances, empty open and derelict properties remain empty for a number of years, despite the work of the empty property officers to try and bring these back into use.
In these cases we may pursue a compulsory purchase order, whereby the local authority is able to apply to the Secretary of State to compulsory purchase the property from the landlord. We then sell the property to private sector landlords (preferred landlords) who are recognised as demonstrating good practice), who then renovate and occupy the home. This can be a long process and will only be taken as a last resort.
The council has started taking action to compulsory purchase some private sector homes which are left unoccupied.
We can provide advice to landlords of empty properties we are aware of on issues such as renting or selling the property and the grants available for bringing empty properties back into use.
Information on how to purchase a home which has been left empty.