MORE than a dozen council properties have stood empty for years - costing Flintshire thousands of pounds in lost rental income. Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, described it as a dereliction of duty. Empty properties could be used to address 'significant increase' in This grant is to help owners bring empty properties back in to use within the Councils strategic Renewal Area. If you are concerned that a property is empty in your area report it at emptyhomes@shelter.org.uk or phone the Empty Homes Advice Service on 0344 515 1941. Most people look after their properties but there's an element of those that don't and these are the ones that will cost us thousands of pounds. An example would be, works to remedy serious disrepair, provide modern kitchen . Read 327,693 times in last 30 days New BBC Wales HQ to be built on Cardiff bus station, Housing fund puts power back in tenants' hands, Regeneration of Newcastle's Co-op building begins. I know of four people who have tried to rent it and two people who tried to buy it. Communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles has granted planning permission to a redevelopment of Pinewood Studios that would almost double its capacity. Flintshire has approximately 500 long term empty properties; the Empty Property Grant is a loan to help owners bring empty properties back in to use. A review by Flintshire County Council showed some . The portfolio of empty houses includes 27 in Jasmine Crescent, Mold, which are being demolished to make way for a housing complex for the elderly. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Is climate change killing Australian wine? And according to the document, the 'Council Fund' has an operating surplus of almost 700,000. A review by Flintshire County Council showed some schemes were not popular. Wales-wide reports. FLINTSHIRE has more than 200 empty council properties even though theres a waiting list of 4,000 people desperate for homes. 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Furthermore, the report also urges councillors to reduce the age of eligibility for sheltered housing from 60 to 55, in line with local housing associations. N Dear Mr Evans, I write to acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request which has been given the reference number R013477. Be warned, it can be a lengthy and difficult process and there are many complicated reasons why a home might be empty. 2. Bedsits were also "generally unpopular" with older tenants and tended to be used as short-term accommodation. This has a number of cross cutting service links through Housing Management, fromthe refurbishment of the void to prepare it for reoccupation and the re-letting of the property to those on the General Housing Register. On top of the loss, the council is spending 3,500 on bringing each property up to standard. Upstairs flats also became unsuitable for elderly tenants over time as they became less mobile, it added. , Chief officer for housing and assets, Neal Cockerton, said the agreed payment rates are shortly due to lapse and need renewing. Empty sheltered housing in Flintshire 'costing 250k in lost rent' We use cookies to improve your experience. Read about our approach to external linking. The role in Development Management provide a perfect opportunity for successful candidate to thrive and progress in their planning career Some homes do not get a Council Tax bill for as long as they stay empty. Lists. Council bosses are being asked whether hard-to-let sheltered housing should be adapted to be made more suitable, or offered for use by tenants of any age. Flintshire Council headquarters at County Hall, Mold. M Council set to pull out of managed lettings, Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended. If you are concerned that a property is empty in your area report it at emptyhomes@shelter.org.uk or phone the Empty Homes Advice Service on 0344 515 1941. Analysis showed "a series of issues where some of the schemes appear unpopular", resulting in a high turnover and properties left empty. contact the editor here. It means they will not be tied to council-owned warden accommodation, but can live anywhere. I U If a property is empty longer than 6 months, the Council tax payments are affected. An "excessive" number of empty sheltered homes is costing a council nearly a quarter of a million pounds a year in lost rent, officers say. Council holds share of property to be repaid on sale or transfer within 2-5 years. Z, Copyright 2023 Clackmannanshire Council An action plan has been put together to deal with the void properties, which includes recruiting 14 people to bring empty properties up to standard. The authority's housing revenue account however forecasts an expenditire of 3.1m higher than was budgeted for. "This is due to a combination of more new placements and fewer households moving on. Houses to rent in Flintshire | OnTheMarket For more information, please follow this link. The reasons include distance from shops, and upstairs flats unsuitable for less mobile elderly tenants. Good for the local economy I hope!! The concern has been raised after the number of households across Flintshire which needed temporary accommodation more than doubled over three months. Repayment terms to be sorted by administrator on a case-by-case basis as part of affordability checks, Owners of sub-standard residential properties e.g. Flintshire County Council retains tenancy rights for the duration of the agreement. Executive member for housing management, Coun Helen Yale, said the situation was one which had existed before she came into office, but now 15 of the 16 had been rented out and Lixwm was under consideration. Approximately 70% of current void properties are completed within the target period. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. For further information call: 01352 703434, Housing Regeneration and Strategy County Offices Chapel Street Flint Flintshire CH6 5BD. If you send any further correspondence about this request, please include the reference number and either e.mail it to [Flintshire County Council request email], or post it to Freedom of Information, Flintshire County Council, Information Governance, County . This loan is to help owners bring empty properties back in to use. They might also call it 'social housing'. A Gannett Company. Applicant must have sufficient equity within their property to cover the loan amount, Applicants property must be long term vacant (over 6 months) and the Council satisfied that a housing need exists in the area, Property must be tenanted until the loan is released, Property owner must agree to the property being managed by a social lettings agency. For owners of vacant properties to bring up to lettable standard, in eligible areas, to be occupied by Council nominated tenants for 5 years. London Borough of Lambeth: It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Nearest station 2.3mi. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line. G Interested applicants should complete an Expression of Interest Form - please download the form below. Please report any comments that break our rules. , Get notified about news from across North Wales, Long delays on A55 in Flintshire following a collision, Ewloe glamping pods plan refused due concerns over impact on open countryside, 24 hour support and advice helpline now available to individuals with autism and neurodivergence, Hospice appeal for volunteers at the ESSAR Chester Half Marathon, Youngsters commend north Wales health board for its commitment to improving patient experience, Cost of Living Crisis: Home appliance costs surge for UK families, Transport watchdog demands urgent action from Transport for Wales to improve rail service reliability, NEWSAR: Phone Find technology helps locate person in need of help in Deeside countryside. Chief housing officer Neal Cockerton said in a report the 2,600 sheltered accommodation properties accounted for just over a third of Flintshire's housing stock. This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. . Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail. This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. Kilncraigs, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, FK10 1EBTel: 01259 450000Email: customerservice@clacks.gov.uk. Flintshire Council has more than 2,600 sheltered homes, which account for more than a third of its total housing stock . Empty sheltered housing in Flintshire 'costing 250k in lost rent' FOIA Request - Wales On completion of the works, the property meets the Decent Homes Standard. Council bosses are being asked whether hard-to-let sheltered housing should be adapted to be made more suitable, or offered for use by tenants of any age. Your council will then prioritise applications based on who needs a home most urgently. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. synonyms. By bringing them back into use we could remove the problems associated with empty homes for the good of the wider community and help address housing needs. He said there was no good explanation from the authority then about why it was empty and in the intervening six years it had remained empty. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? The number of empty council houses in Wrexham has risen amid efforts to carry out more extensive repairs, a new report has shown. However, there are many reasons why properties become vacant long term and the Council wants to help owners to bring these homes back into use. H The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. J Nearest school 0.6mi. There are 4,000 people on the waiting list and hundreds of families living in temporary accommodation.. Housing Grants & Loans - Flintshire People are desperate for houses and they can see these properties boarded up for weeks.. , Currently up to 500 of its 7,200 rental properties become available each year, and the authority is now preparing to put new guidelines in placefor how it selects builders to carry out the improvement works. Property & houses for sale in Flintshire Create alert Grid view Map view Sort: Most recent 259,995 3 bedroom semi-detached house for sale Plot 26, The Epsom at Summers Bridge, Welsh Road, Deeside CH5 Nearest station 1.2mi. The project is funded by the Scottish Government and housed by Shelter Scotland. Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail. In addition to setting out the projected positions and projections for various council departments, the report also sets out a number of risks which are being 'tracked.'. Empty properties. ", The current site of the Cardiff bus station is to become the new home for BBC Cymru Wales. That initiative falls under the Town . Any properties where tenants refuse access needs to be reported to housing management.". Is climate change killing Australian wine? Minimum loan of 500. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The result was lost rent of 242,492 in 2018-19, the report said, equivalent to 2.2% of the 11.3m raised from sheltered accommodation tenants. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. We use cookies on your computer or mobile device to help make this website better. The reasons include distance from shops, and upstairs flats unsuitable for less mobile elderly tenants. Read about our approach to external linking. Maximum loan of 10,000 subject to eligibility testing and loan assessment. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. the use of cookies. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. 3 2 OnTheMarket > 14 days Marketed by Anwyl Homes - Summers Bridge 01244 988015 Email agent New build Committee chairman Cllr Ron Hampson said: This is the biggest problem weve got. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. A Resident - Flintshire The council said if plans were approved it could settle debts to the council, such as council tax arrears, by putting vacant or run-down properties up for auction. The Voids Action Plan was discussed during theCommunity andHousing Overview andScrutiny Committee meeting held on Wednesday, March 8. Buying an empty home can seem like a daunting and painstaking prospect for some people, although can provide excellent bargains, particularly for those who are looking for properties to renovate themselves. Flintshire tenants 'being let down' as council homes lie empty inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Concern over funding to help struggling Flintshire households Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Editors' Code of Practice. Including the cost of Council Tax, security boarding and potential lost rent, it is estimated that it costs around 7,000 a year to leave a home empty. Wrexham Glyndwr University set to rebrand as Prifysgol Wrecsam/Wrexham University. Chief housing officer Neal Cockerton said in a report the 2,600 sheltered accommodation properties accounted for just over a third of Flintshire's housing stock. , The total value for the framework period is an estimated 11,500,000. Council tax on empty homes and second homes in 2009-2018 Flintshire County Council. The borough council last night confirmed a total 16 former warden properties have been empty, some for several years, while the authority considered its sheltered housing policy. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. The Council's Empty Homes Strategy involves working with other appropriate agencies and demonstrates the Council's commitment to improve this problem. Council Tax discounts and reduction: Empty properties | GOV.WALES He said: Many old and vulnerable adults rely on the support and friendship from resident wardens.. London Borough of Lambeth: A 100 million fund has been announced by Kris Hopkins, housing minister, which would enable council tenants to exert more control over their homes. 01244 725688. More than 2m has been spent on bringing empty council homes in Flintshire back into use last year. The report states: "Although, there is continued support via the new Homelessness No One Left Out grant, with a further allocation of 0.256m being confirmed recently, this still falls well below the amount of support the council received via the Hardship Fund in 2020/21 and 2021/22. But, the re-tendering exercise will 'increase resilience', whilst ensuring newly procured contractors are held accountable to performance targets. An empty home costs money. The Housing and Assets Service housing stock consists of around 7,300 properties. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's The fund, made available to Councils in Wales, enables the Council to provide short to medium term loans to owners of sub-standard properties who pass affordability criteria and who are restricted by other sources of finance. Sheltered housing in remote areas suffered from limited access to shops, especially with the closure of local convenience stores, the report said, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Coun Aaron Shotton, Labour Leader, said: To remove resident wardens and replace them with mobile wardens is a retrograde step that will leave many of our elderly feeling very vulnerable. landlords, owner occupiers who pass affordability checks. , By Liam Randall Local Democracy Reporter. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. These applicants are not subject to the conditions relating to the management of the property by a social lettings agency, FCC retaining tenancy rights and the requirement to become an accredited landlord. During the meeting this week, Housing Services manager Sean O'Donnell said the maintarget now was to 'address the backlog in voids and increase resilience' in terms of contractors. Applicant must have sufficient equity within their property to cover the loan amount/or offer a different property with sufficient equity for security, Applicants property must be long term vacant (over 6 months), Property must be tenanted until the loan is released or sold, On completion of the works, the property must be habitable and of a lettable standard (no, Property must be covered by buildings insurance until the loan is repaid, Maximum loan of 35,000 subject to eligibility testing and loan assessment, The Council holds a share of the property value, to the cost of the works, Loan is repaid on sale or transfer (maximum loan term is 2 years for sale and 5 years for rent), Voluntary early repayment may be made at any time. Maximum loan per applicant 150,000. Empty Homes | East Cambridgeshire District Council Challenges faced by the council included the availability of skilled resources, raw materials and linked price increases, all of which impacts negatively on void delivery and turnaround times. Have Your Say - Council Tax Premium - Flintshire 10. The Welsh Government has launched a new Loan scheme offering financial support to owners of private properties. The Welsh Government has launched a new Home Improvement Loan scheme offering financial support to owners of private properties. Max: 25,000 per unit of accommodation (150,000 per applicant maximum). Natural Resources Wales: E Please note that the loan is discretionary and an offer of a loan cannot be guaranteed until the applicant has received formal notice of approval. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to The reasons behind the current void backlog, the challenges both pre and post-COVID that restricted the council operations, were captured in the previous report on voids presented to Scrutiny in late 2022,alongside planned activity to improve performance. Mr Williams said: Just think about the rent they have lost. Speaking before the meeting, Cllr Bernie Attridge said: This is absolutely dreadful. An empty home need to be looked after as much as one which is lived in. Miss Harkin said: We need to radically improve where we are now.. READ MORE:Flintshire Council set to reduce pesticide use to support wildlife. A Gannett Company. London Borough of Lambeth: Principal Planning Officer (Development Management) (672), London Borough of Lambeth: Senior Planning Officer (Development Management)(671), Natural Resources Wales: Specialist Planning Advisor, Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. contact the editor here. Getting a council home - Citizens Advice The previous contract arrangement meant the council only had access to one contractor. X An "excessive" number of empty sheltered homes is costing a council nearly a quarter of a million pounds a year in lost rent, officers say. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Launched in 2014, Deeside.com is an independent online news and information website. Deeside.com Est. It is the responsibility of home owners to maintain their property and to keep it in good order. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. , The council experiences 400-500 void properties per year and, overall, the cost of bringing these back into a lettable standard equates to approximately 2,300,000 per year. Comments have been closed on this article. Read about our approach to external linking. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. An example would be, works to remedy serious disrepair, provide modern kitchen and bathroom facilities, improve heating systems and insulation, and to remove any serious hazards which could affect the well-being of the occupier, such as dampness, dangerous stairs or electrical wiring. All monies will be paid to you on provision of a Contractor(s) invoice on completion of the works. Empty/derelict properties in Flintshire - a Freedom of Information Buying an empty home - Flintshire Housing The authority is now planning a more flexible role for its wardens so that they can better respond to the needs of the elderly people they care for. Empty House synonyms - 69 Words and Phrases for Empty House , It comes after neighbouring Wrexham Council admitted earlier this month that the external contractors it uses are struggling to keep up with the rate of repairs needed. Second home owners face council tax hikes of 100% Flintshire Council's Cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss a revenue budget monitoring report for 2022/23. FLINTSHIRE councillors have discussed what the next steps arefor empty houses throughout the county - after atwo year struggledue to various complications. This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard.
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