Uttlesford's Empty Houses Are A Scandal (Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats)

Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats <info@saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk>

Uttlesford's Empty Houses Are A Scandal

March 2, 2008 10:03 PM

Chris Cant at an empty house The latest available (2006) figures show that there are 936 empty homes in Uttlesford. Nearly 540 of these houses have been empty for more than six months.

Cllr. Peter Wilcock, Leader of Uttlesford District Council's opposition Liberal Democrat group, said: "We need to bring these empty homes back into use. It's a scandal that hundreds of properties are lying empty, while there are people who are unable to find homes that they can afford to buy or rent."

Last week Cllr. John Hudson, Lib Dem member for Stansted South, asked the Chairman of Uttlesford District Council's Environment Committee what is being done to address this issue in Uttlesford. He said: "We want Uttlesford District Council to make use of its powers under the Housing Act 2004 to bring empty properties back into use. Under the Act, councils can use Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) to lease out empty homes, when the owner has refused support, advice and inducements to rent out the empty property themselves."

Cllr. David Morson, Lib Dem Housing spokesperson, added, "There are nearly 700,000 empty homes up and down the country. If a privately owned property is found to be empty, the local council will often approach the owner and offer them advice and support on how to bring their property back into use. Sometimes this help is not taken up and the building continues to lie empty when it could be put to better use - housing a family who need a home."

"Empty properties can be a real blight on communities. They attract fly tipping, crime and vandalism. In many cases they significantly lower the value of neighbouring properties.

"A local council can apply to an independent tribunal for an EDMO when a property has been empty for six months and begun to fall into disrepair. Even then the property owner can avert the issue of an EDMO, which can last for up to seven years, by taking steps to bring the property back into use. While the EDMO is in place, the owner is fully entitled to appeal to the tribunal if they feel that the building is not being properly looked after, or if they feel that they have been treated unfairly."

Peter Wilcock concluded, "Of course, the success of the EDMO scheme should be measured by how many empty homes are brought back into use - preferably through the efforts of owners and local authorities working together - rather than simply by how many EDMOs are issued.

"The Liberal Democrats are happy to support the proper use of EDMOs by local councils only as a last resort when all other efforts to persuade an owner to bring the property back into use have failed."