Agenda item

The Director of Housing submits a report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission Members on the Housing Division’s intention to submit a bid to the Service Transformation Fund to increase the number of Empty Homes Officers to reduce the backlog of long-term empty homes. The Commission is asked to note the officers’ actions.

The Director of Housing submitted a report to inform the Commission of the Housing Division’s bid to the Service Transformation Fund to increase the number of Empty Homes Officers to reduce the backlog of long-term empty homes. The Commission was asked to note the officers’ actions.

It was noted that a bid to the Service Transformation fund which would include the cost of the additional Empty Homes Officers and an amount for the increase in legal work had been successful. Officers were expecting the amount of empty homes to be reduced by a significant amount.

In response to Members’ questions it was noted:

a)    Two properties on Humberstone Road were empty, due to proposed future alterations to the junction. The future of the houses was not secure, and had the potential to be demolished.

b)    The Empty Homes Strategy was triggered when a property had been empty for 18 months, and the current total was 1,164. Some properties in the city had been empty for 5-10 years.

c)    18 months was considered to be a reasonable length of time for a property to remain empty legitimately, for example, due to death, probate and the sale of house.

d)    A 20 stage process was followed, but officers faced challenges. One reason a property could remain empty for a long time was a change of ownership, when the process would have to be started again with the new owner.

e)    The 20-stage process gave people time to respond, and if a case went to public enquiry, the Council had to demonstrate it had done all that it could to exhaust all avenues to bring the house back into use.

f)     The application for compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) could take many months, but progress was being made to speed up the process.

g)    A report would be brought back to the Scrutiny Commission on empty homes generally, and information on the recruitment of additional Empty Homes Officers, and the work around targeting empty properties. A map on the location of long-term empty properties in the city would be included.

The Chair welcomed the objective of reducing the backlog within three years, but asked that the department in that period review:

a)    The 18 month time condition for having a home empty before taking action;

b)    Review the 20 stage process referred to in the report at 3.4;

The Chair suggested that officers liaise closely with Highways in terms of junction improvements, as other properties would be affected by highway schemes. He asked that a report on homes blighted by highway schemes be brought to the SC.

AGREED:

That:

1.    The report be noted.

2.    A report be brought to a future Commission meeting on empty homes generally, information on the recruitment of additional Empty Homes Officer, and the work around targeting empty properties, to include a map on the location of long-term empty properties.

3.    That over a period of three years the Department will:

a)    Review the 18 month time condition for having a home empty before taking action;

b)    Review the 20 stage process referred to in the report at 3.4;

4.    A report on homes blighted by highway schemes be brought to a future meeting of the Commission.