Bringing life back to empty properties

5.56.58pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 12th Aug 2007

The drive to bring life to the borough's empty properties is reaping success with 95 brought back into use in the last year alone.

Under the Empty Property Scheme, grants are available to improve properties which have fallen into disrepair. They are available where owners agree to lease the property to the Council for three to five years. The Council takes over the management of the property and pays an agreed, guaranteed rent to the owner. The renovated home is then used to accommodate a homeless family.

Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing, Cllr Denise Carr, said: "The Council is totally committed to reducing the number of empty homes and this special scheme is proving a great success in helping achieve this goal. Leaving a property empty does not make economic sense. Landlords receive no rental income, the property will deteriorate further and it could become the target of vandalism and squatting. The grants scheme is one of several initiatives that help both property owners and homeless families and we would like to hear from all owners who would like to take advantage of it."