Presentation for Landlords’ Forum

Empty Homes in the Private Sector

Gillian Edwards

Empty Homes in West Lothian

BackgroundWhy are properties emptyThe effect of empty propertiesHow the Council can helpThe Empty Homes ProjectContact

Background

• There are around 200 empty homes in the Private Sector in West Lothian

• The Council is working with Shelter and four other Councils to develop its approach to help owners bring their homes back into use.

• There is a dedicated Empty Homes Officer based at West Lothian Council one day per week

• Contact Moira.Woods@westlothian.gov.uk or gillian.edwards@westlothian.gov.uk

Why are there empty homes?

• There is a reluctance to let out the property• The property is subject to probate, estate or legal ownership

issues• Bankruptcy, repossession, abandonment• Long term care/hospitalisation• Waiting for refurbishment, lack of funds• Buy to leave• Lack of awareness of options• For sale/Let/Property chain

Answer - It has got stuck

The effect of Empty homes in a community

• Risk of fire/vandalism/fly tipping• Loss of community well being• Potentially reduction in property values• Loss of income to homeowner• Loss of Council Tax

How the Council can help

The Council has a dedicated Empty HomesOfficer that can provide advice on the following:• Marketing property• Matchmaker scheme – matching buyers and

sellers• Advice on letting a property• Information on availability of funding• Advice on appointing contractors

Empty Homes Success

• The Council has recently been awarded funding for an empty homes loan scheme. Interest free loans of up to £10,000 will be available for refurbishment of empty homes for use as affordable rented housing.

Empty Homes Success

• To date 17 properties have been brought back into use because of the work of the Empty Homes Officer

• The Empty Homes Officer is working with 27 live cases to bring empty homes back into use.

• People can now report empty homes and be confident that it will be addressed.

• Eyesore properties can become desirable homes• More Council tax can be generated as homes are brought back into use• The Homes Again Project this year won the Camelot “Empty Homes

Champion” of the year award. This award recognises the work done in relation to empty homes and the cooperation achieved between the Councils to deliver a shared service approach.

Empty Property Brought Back into use in Linlithgow

Location: Edinburgh Road, Linlithgow • Empty for: 10 years and 5 months • This property was inherited in a poor condition. The new owner didn’t want to

deal with the hassle of doing something with it and had effectively locked the door and ignored the property for years.

• West Lothian’s Empty Homes Officer wrote to the owner and subsequently had a number of discussions about the property with the owner. Following these discussions the owner decided to apply for planning permission, which was granted and renovations works began. A letter for VAT discounts was also provided by the Empty Homes Officer because the property had been empty for over 10 years.

• The renovation work was completed in early spring 2013 and the owner decided to move into the property. The owners said if it hadn’t been for the contact and support of the Empty Homes Officer they don’t think they would have ever done anything with the house.

• Outcome: The property was occupied by the owner in May 2013.

Empty Property Brought Back into use in Linlithgow

Property at Muirhall Brought Back into use

Properties brought back into use in Bathgate