News from Peterborough City Council

A Peterborough property has been given a new lease of life thanks to Peterborough City Council after originally being left empty for more than six months.

 

It is the first time anywhere in the country a local authority has issued a Final Empty Dwelling Management Order to bring a property back into public use. Housing enforcement officers at the city council were authorised to make an Interim Empty Dwelling Management Order for the three bedroom semi-detached house in Woodston by the Residential Property Tribunal in May 2007.

 

The tribunal is a national body set up under the Housing Act 2004 to make such rulings and to hear appeals on housing enforcement matters. The application was made to the tribunal after several months of negotiations with the property's owner.

 

A variety of proposals were made to try to persuade the owner to bring the house back into use. However, after exhausting all avenues of informal action, including a proposal to manage the house under the city council's private sector leasing scheme, the decision was made to apply for the interim order.

 

The property was secured by changing the locks and a schedule of works was drawn-up to bring the house up to a standard where it could be rented. Proposed work, which was sent out to tender, included enlarging the kitchen, installation of new windows and doors, a new kitchen and central heating.

 

Having received estimates for this work in October 2007, a letter was sent to the owner advising him that the works were about to commence and offering him the opportunity to take up an empty homes grant tied with the property being in the private sector leasing scheme for five years. This would then pay for 50 per cent of the repairs with the remainder being collected from the rental income over the five year period in equal instalments, with the remainder going to the owner as an income.

 

The owner was given 14 days in which to take up this voluntary option and advised if he did not then a Final Empty Dwelling Management Order would be served. The owner did not take up this option and the order was served in January 2008. 

 

"People sometimes buy a property as an investment or inherit a house from a relative's estate but they may be reluctant to rent it to a tenant," said senior private sector enforcement officer Jo Hodges. "Sometimes they don't want the administrative work, or they are scared of having tenant problems or cannot afford to carry out necessary repairs.

 

"Whatever the reason, this action has brought the property back into use providing vital accommodation in the city. In addition, it will also protect neighbourhoods from the negative impact of long-term empty properties, such as the danger of squatters, vandals and arsonists."

 

The property is now completely refurbished and was made ready for letting via Homes from Houses, who run the city council's private sector letting scheme and advertised through choice based lettings last week. However, the owner has now decided to sell the property and the full costs will be recovered from its sale.

 

Councillor John Holdich, Cabinet member for Housing, Regeneration and Economic Development at the city council, said: "I must congratulate our team on using all the powers available to them to bring this property back into use. There are hundreds of people eager to find accommodation and an empty home is no use to anybody. They can be a blight on the neighbourhood and attract anti-social behaviour, but I'm delighted this property will once again become a home."

 

The city council is committed to identifying empty houses throughout Peterborough and working with their owners to bring them back into use. Properties that are the main residence of people who are temporarily living elsewhere are excluded. Properties whose owners have died do not become eligible until six months after probate has been granted. In appropriate cases, up to 50 per cent grant assistance is available to carry out essential repairs and renovations.

 

If anyone has any information about empty homes in their area, call the city council on (01733) 747474 and ask to speak to the empty homes officer in private sector housing.