Do you know that there are private properties standing empty in St Edmundsbury, whilst there is a shortage of housing in the borough?
Making the most of your property
If you are the owner of an empty property, you have a valuable asset which could also provide housing for someone in need.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council helps owners who want to bring properties back into use because we are committed to reducing the number of homes which are left empty for a long time.
The Government has also recognised this as a national problem.
What is our definition of an empty homes?
An empty home is one which has been unoccupied for more than six months and where the owner is not renovating it or actively trying to sell or let it.
Why are there empty homes?
Properties may be empty because:
- the home may need renovation before being reoccupied;
- renovation work may have stopped due to lack of funds or other problems;
- the property may have been inherited by owners who do not have the time, knowledge or money to sell, let or live in it;
- sometimes when members of a family inherit a property, they are reluctant to make decisions about its future due to emotional ties to the home;
- the house may have been repossessed;
- the owner may have moved into long-term residential care or hospital.
Why are empty homes a cause for concern?
- they can be a target for arson, vandalism, squatting and anti-social behaviour;
- they can be a considerable financial burden on owners;
- they are a source of anxiety for owners and neighbours;
- they are a wasted resource in an area of high housing demand.
How we help owners of empty properties
St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Strategic Housing Team contacts owners of empty homes that have been empty for longer than six months, to find out why the property is still empty and what plans the owner has for bringing it back into use. Empty homes are then monitored internally by a group consisting of Officers from Legal, Environmental Health, Council Tax and Strategic Housing.
The Council encourages owners of empty properties to consider renting as a long or short-term solution, either through a private rental agency or a social landlord.
Another option available to owners of empty properties is via the private sector leasing scheme which the Council has recently entered into with Housing Action, a registered charity based and operating throughout East Anglia.
Subject to certain terms and conditions under the private sector leasing scheme, Housing Action may provide owners of empty properties:
- A guaranteed rent scheme, covering damage, voids and any tenant debt.
- The ability to bring an empty property back into use, with no inital cost to the owner.
You can find out more information about their services at www.housingaction.co.uk
If after advice and discussions with the Strategic Housing Team to help bring a property back into use the owners do not respond positively, we will consider taking formal action. Enforcement action may be necessary when a neighbouring property is suffering because a home has been left empty for a long time.
We encourage members of the public to contact the team should you have or see an empty property in the borough.
How can I find out more?
If you would like to know more about the advice and help available, or if you would like to discuss your property, please contact the Strategic Housing Team as follows.
You can also view the Empty House Strategy by going to the Strategy, policies and plans page
Strategic Housing Team contacts
Kevin Marshall, Senior Development Officer - phone: 01284 757606 or email: kevin.marshall@stedsbc.gov.uk
Julie Salisbury, Housing Development Officer - phone: 01284 757608 or email: julie.salisbury@stedsbc.gov.uk
