Agenda item - Empty Properties - Pilot Enforcement scheme

Report of Executive Director Neighbourhoods, Communities and Housing (copy attached).

1)       That the pilot be supported as part of the Empty Property Strategy, to address those empty property issues in the city not resolved through existing interventions.

2)       That it is agreed to support the implementation of the funding mechanism for the Empty Property Enforcement pilot proposal as outlined in the body of the report and Finance comments.

3)       That a review of the pilot is undertaken after one year and the results are reported to Housing & New Homes Committee.

75.1   The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing which outlined proposals for a pilot low risk and cost neutral delivery of enforcement, works in default/enforced sale model, whereby essential safety/environmental improvement works were undertaken to longer term empty homes and owners charged for these works.  The report was presented by the Empty Property Officer.

75.2    Councillor Druitt referred to page 75, paragraph 1.3 and asked how officers would make a judgement on essential safety and improvement works. Councillor Druitt stressed the importance of these works. The Empty Property Officer explained that all works were carried out by professional officers within the council.  A new standard was not being introduced.

75.3    Councillor Mears remarked that it was encouraging to see the proposals in the report which would send a message that the council did need to bring empty properties back into use. However, she stressed that there were some situations that were more sensitive such as elderly people who could not afford to carry out work to their properties.  She hoped officers would take this into account.

75.4    Councillor Atkinson thanked the Empty Property Officers for their work on the proposals which he fully supported. 

75.5    Councillor Gibson fully supported the recommendations.  This was a cost effective way of bringing properties back into use.  Councillor Gibson noted that 52 properties scored ‘HIGH’. Paragraph 1.2 referred to more problematic properties, which he assumed these were the 52 properties.  Councillor Gibson asked about the criteria. How did a home become a more problematic longer term home? 

75.6    The Empty Property Officer stated that enforcement took place after long conversations with owners. Some of the problematic properties would score as ‘HIGH’. Long term properties would be empty for more than six months. Because of the council’s system of regular contact, it would be two years before the score was increased to ‘HIGH’.

75.7    The Chair thanked the Empty Property Officer and her team.  800 properties had been returned back to use which was excellent news.

75.8    RESOLVED:-

1)       That the pilot be supported as part of the Empty Property Strategy, to address those empty property issues in the city not resolved through existing interventions.

2)       That it is agreed to support the implementation of the funding mechanism for the Empty Property Enforcement pilot proposal as outlined in the body of the report and Finance comments.

3)       That a review of the pilot is undertaken after one year and the results are reported to Housing & New Homes Committee.