"At this rate of net growth there remains a clear risk of overspend despite additional in-year funding having been provided by Welsh Government.". It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. 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. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please 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. Flintshire Share Upstairs flats also became unsuitable for elderly tenants over time as they became less mobile, it added. Mr Williams said: Just think about the rent they have lost. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Trump says 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve, Ding becomes China's first male world chess champion. The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership exists to help bring private sector empty homes back into use. Buying an empty home. Flintshire claims it is one of the first authorities in Wales to have a person working solely on turning around empty homes using money specifically set aside to renovate dilapidated properties. Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail. . Maximum loan per applicant 150,000. A new council scheme could see owners of dilapidated or empty buildings in Flintshire being forced to sell. Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations put forward toaddressthe challenges identified within the Voids Action Plan. Flintshire Council has more than 2,600 sheltered homes, which account for more than a third of its total housing stock . The authority's housing revenue account however forecasts an expenditire of 3.1m higher than was budgeted for. Empty Homes. London Borough of Lambeth: Conwy had 1,155 chargeable second homes but only 1,181, last year, whilst Denbighshire had 397 and 393. Bedsits were also "generally unpopular" with older tenants and tended to be used as short-term accommodation. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. budget, as well as approving a transfer of 200,000 from a contingency reserve to replenish the authority's Winter Maintenance Reserve. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to On completion of the works, the property meets the Decent Homes Standard. A 100 million fund has been announced by Kris Hopkins, housing minister, which would enable council tenants to exert more control over their homes. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. T This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's This equates. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. I believe the one in Lixwm is being considered for a lady with disabilities, said Coun Yale. Something went wrong, please try again later. 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 . One of these, headed 'homelessness', explains there is a risk due to the cessation of funding from the Welsh Government COVID-19 hardship fund at the end of 2021/22. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. A review by Flintshire County Council showed some . Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. Is climate change killing Australian wine? Lambeth, London, PO3: 42,510 pa (including London Weighting) rising in annual increments to 45,711 pa: Z, Copyright 2023 Clackmannanshire Council 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 25,000 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 3 years for rent), Voluntary early repayment may be made at any time. S Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. Having a long term empty property in the neighbourhood is a wasted resource and can quickly become an eyesore through deterioration in condition and the risk of vandalism and crime. 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. An empty home costs money. The average age of the council's housing stock is considered to be some of the oldest in the United Kingdom and they are also considerably older than many nearby Local Housing Associations' housing stock. Editors' Code of Practice. There are currently around 1300 such properties in Flintshire and the Council has published a strategy to encourage owners of empty property to bring them back into use. If a property is empty longer than 6 months, the Council tax payments are affected. Be warned, it can be a lengthy and difficult process and there are many complicated reasons why a home might be empty. It doesnt make sense.. "Although it has been possible to contain some of the expected pressure through prepaid accommodation to the end of September 2022, which has been funded by the COVID-19 Hardship Fund, the expected continued high demand for temporary accommodation including short term Bed & Breakfast provision will continue to present significant challenges. Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, described it as a dereliction of duty. 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. 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. 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. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Trump says 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve, Ding becomes China's first male world chess champion. Loans can be provided for the purpose of improving a residential property to/for: Up to 5 years for landlord loan, 7 years for owner occupiers, HILs can be drawndown by loan recipients in advance, in stages or on completion of the improvement works. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? 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. MORE than a dozen council properties have stood empty for years - costing Flintshire thousands of pounds in lost rental income. synonyms. Editors' Code of Practice. *Stats independent & directly measured by Google, via the Analytics Live API. Applicant is invited to apply by the Council, For use within the Councils strategic Renewal Area, A proportion of the grant must be repaid if the property is sold or transferred within 5 years. ", The current site of the Cardiff bus station is to become the new home for BBC Cymru Wales. Bid to tackle challenges surrounding empty council houses in Flintshire The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. You can apply for a home through your local council. As a result, there are many challenges and obstacles that arise when completing refurbishment and capital investment works to these older properties. 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. Is climate change killing Australian wine? Interested applicants should complete an Expression of Interest Form, please see attached. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. U The previous contract arrangement meant the council only had access to one contractor. Average costs for refurbishment of void properties range from 1,500 for a minor void to an average of 9,000 for a major void property. 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. Empty properties. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Work has begun on a 3.1m redevelopment of Aberystwyth railway station in Mid Wales. All monies will be paid to you on provision of a Contractor(s) invoice on completion of the works. This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. 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. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Analysis showed "a series of issues where some of the schemes appear unpopular", resulting in a high turnover and properties left empty. We serve those towns and villages in Flintshire which lie close to River Dee in North East Wales and the border with neighbouring Chester in England. A 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. , 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. With this policy the council can begin moving forward to address the issue of vacant homes whilst also recovering monies it is owed. 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. The project is funded by the Scottish Government and housed by Shelter Scotland. Good for the local economy I hope!! 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An empty home need to be looked after as much as one which is lived in. READ MORE:Flintshire Council set to reduce pesticide use to support wildlife. But the new proposal has already come under fire from Labour opposition on Flintshire, who have pledged to fight it. 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. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The proposal aims to tackle the 469 homes currently empty in the Welsh county. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. Nearest school 0.6mi. In Flintshire, council tax records indicate 888 properties have been empty on a long-term basis or are second homes which could be potentially liable for the premium. Ratepayers are footing the bill for the 217 void properties, which are estimated to be losing Flintshire County Council 1.5m in rent a year. It means they will not be tied to council-owned warden accommodation, but can live anywhere. Amongst the recommendations to cabinet members are that they note the report and the estimated financial impact on the 2022/23 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. At a housing subcommittee meeting, Cllr Eric Owen said: If we could be taking rents of 50 a week it would work out at a loss of 500,000 for the year so far.. They might also call it 'social housing'. ", Sean O'Donnell replied by saying:"This is something that we really want to work hard on over the next few 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. Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed. We use cookies on your computer or mobile device to help make this website better. Flintshires Empty Homes Flintshire County Council. MORE than a dozen council properties have stood empty for years - costing Flintshire thousands of pounds in lost rental income. Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail. P On completion of the works, the property meets the, Maximum loan of 10,000 subject to eligibility testing and loan assessment, Loan is repaid on sale or transfer or cessation of nomination rights. Figures released by Wrexham Council . If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to Property must be covered by buildings insurance until the loan is repaid. 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. We use cookies to improve your experience. Ms Harkin revealed the 19 empty properties in Glan y Morfa Court were not being offered to potential tenants because bedsits were no longer popular. G The role in Development Management provide a perfect opportunity for successful candidate to thrive and progress in their planning career London Borough of Lambeth: All of this has impactedon the progress of refurbishment works withinempty properties throughout the county. 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. the use of cookies. FOIA Request - Wales Part furnished. 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. Minimum loan of 500. Council set to pull out of managed lettings, Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can A new council scheme could see owners of dilapidated or empty buildings in Flintshire being forced to sell. Committee chair Cllr Helen Brown said: "We need to protect the investment we put in. That initiative falls under the Town . landlords, owner occupiers who pass affordability checks. PO5: 48,747 pa (including London Weighting) rising in annual increments to 51,783 pa: The latest analysis of properties shows a total of 772 properties are currently subject to the 50% premium charge, consisting of 605 long term empty properties and 167 second homes. 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. Owner Occupier Loans Housing Regeneration. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. COUNCIL chiefs have raised concerns that an authority's funds to help residents who find themselves homeless may be exceeded by an increase in demand. Deeside.com Est. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. We have looked at releasing them back into general need but because of where they are and their allocation, we have to be careful. 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. More than 2m has been spent on bringing empty council homes in Flintshire back into use last year. Kilncraigs, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, FK10 1EBTel: 01259 450000Email: customerservice@clacks.gov.uk. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. For owners of 6 months plus, vacant residential properties to bring up to lettable standard. Flintshire Council's Cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss a revenue budget monitoring report for 2022/23. 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. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The Housing and Assets Service housing stock consists of around 7,300 properties. Frank Williams, who has lived in Lixwm village all his life, raised the issue of the empty wardens bungalow at the OAP development in Bryn Tirion with the Daily Post over six years ago. Cabinet member for housing, councillor Helen Brown, said: "It is no longer acceptable for properties to remain empty when the need for housing is increasing. Please note you will be required to manage the project yourself, including seeking competitive quotes, arranging an asbestos survey, managing the work on site and ensuring that all the work is completed to your satisfaction and meets any legislative requirements in place.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. W Meanwhile Flintshire council will get 750,000 from the Welsh Government to redevelop old and empty properties that are difficult to bring back into use. N 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. Any properties where tenants refuse access needs to be reported to housing management.". For more information, please follow this link. Empty properties. , The total value for the framework period is an estimated 11,500,000. FLINTSHIRE has more than 200 empty council properties - even though there's a waiting list of 4,000 people desperate for homes. 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 portfolio of empty houses includes 27 in Jasmine Crescent, Mold, which are being demolished to make way for a housing complex for the elderly. Dear Mr Evans, I write to acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request which has been given the reference number R013477. L The Welsh Government has confirmed it will withdraw its detailed policy on planning for sustainable buildings at the end of next month (July). Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Bedsits were also "generally unpopular" with older tenants and tended to be used as short-term accommodation. Suggested solutions include installing stairlifts, putting in extensive adaptations for people with disabilities, and support to allow residents to do internet shopping. The project is funded by the Scottish Government and housed by Shelter Scotland. 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. Flintshire County Council retains tenancy rights for the duration of the agreement. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Council holds share of property to be repaid on sale or transfer within 2-3 years. These include empty homes: 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. Empty flats could also be used to cut council spending on delayed transfer from care or hospital for people not yet ready to return to their own homes. If your application is accepted, you'll go on to a waiting list of people who need a council home. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. FLINTSHIRE Council chiefs have denied a councillors' claims that the coronavirus pandemic is being used as an excuse for the authority not turning around empty properties quickly enough. This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Launched in 2014, Deeside.com is an independent online news and information website. Max: 35,000 per unit of accommodation (150,000 per applicant maximum). 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. Flintshire Council's Cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss a revenue budget monitoring report for 2022/23. 2014, *Stats independent & directly measured by Google, via the Analytics Live API. Approximately 70% of current void properties are completed within the target period. Deeside.com Est. 4. This is designed to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. 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. Empty homes are a waste of resource. Cllr Attridge said: The people being let down are the people we represent, the tenants.. The borough council last night confirmed a total 16 former. But, the re-tendering exercise will 'increase resilience', whilst ensuring newly procured contractors are held accountable to performance targets. Head of housing Maureen Harkin said the problems were down to a number of factors, including inconsistent management and poor productivity.