Agenda item

EMPTY HOMES UPDATE

Meeting of Housing Scrutiny Commission, Monday, 30 October 2023 5:30 pm (Item 33.)

The Director of Housing submits a report updating the Commission about the work the Empty Homes Team are doing to bring long term private sector homes back into use.

Members will be asked to note the contents of the report.

Minutes:

The Director for Housing introduced the item to highlight the importance of ensuring less empty private sector empty homes throughout the city to enable more available stock for individuals seeking accommodation and preventing homelessness.

The Head of Service presented the report, and it was noted that:

· The team take an incremental approach to work with owners to bring empty properties back into use with over 88% success rate using early intervention informal techniques. 197 properties were brought back into use in the city during 22/23 using this approach.

· If there is no commitment from owners, then legal remedies such as compulsory purchase orders or negotiated offers can be pursued although usually such conversation can initiate the owner to bring the property back into use. CPOs are only used as a last resort.

· Work has increased for the team with the number of empty properties for over 18months increasing by 15% during the 22/23 year – equating to 424 at the end of March 23. The team work to bring as many properties back into use as possible but the team is made up of 2.6 officers and therefore resources are focussed in areas of need and demand.

· The team receive positive feedback when liaising with owners and it is apparent that the pandemic and cost of living crisis have had an impact on ability of owners to travel due to isolating and undertaking works to bring back into use due to financial pressures.

· The team also work with the council tax department to use data on workflows and classification of properties. Council tax can also be used to encourage owners to bring properties back into use by increasing rates if the property is empty.

· Properties have different classification which can impact the powers of the local authority, for example 28% of empty homes in Leicester are classed as second homes and therefore the Local Authority have no powers to bring back into use.

In response to questions and comments from Members, it was noted that:

· Council tax increases depending on the length of time a property remains empty as referenced in the agenda pack. Checks are undertaken by the council tax team and the empty property team to identify whether a property is empty, this can be through patrolling areas or when reported and inspected.

· More devolution powers are needed for the local authority to be able to take more action to bring empty properties back into use and is a topic the Deputy City Mayor for Housing and Neighbourhoods has proactively raised and will continue to do so.

· Benchmarking has been undertaken and the number of empty homes in the city is comparable to others.

· Empty homes throughout the city can be identified into wards and this information can be shared.

· The empty homes team is a non-statutory function funded by the general budget and therefore given ongoing financial pressures, whilst additional resource may be unlikely, many other authorities are not operating such a service.

· Council tax data is utilised to identify empty properties as this is a mandatory requirement and the most reliable form. However, the team also work with other departments and gather intelligence through patch walks and reports.

· The team focus on empty properties that have been vacant for 18 months and are very successful when liaising with owners through early intervention methods. The Deputy City Mayor for Housing and Neighbourhoods highlighted that timeframes for properties stood empty and intervention have been considered but believed to be appropriate. The arrangements ensure resources are best utilised but also that the authority is not contacting owners and/or executors too soon, particularly when a property has become empty following a bereavement.