Issue - meetings

To consider the recommendation of Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 on Tuesday, 22nd June, 2021

The Executive is recommended to adopt the Empty Homes Policy as set out in Appendix A to the agenda report.

The Executive Member for Homes and Communities presented the Empty Homes Policy. This policy dealt with homes that had been empty and detailed the aims and objectives to reduce long term empty homes and an action plan of how these objectives would be met.

RESOLVED that the Empty Homes Policy (appendix A) be adopted.

The vote was unanimous.

The Committee considered the agenda report which updated on the work being carried out by the Authority on empty homes and set out the draft Empty Homes Policy at Appendix A.

The Executive Member for Communities, Housing and Information Technology referred to the number of empty homes in the District, which could be categorised as long term or short term empty, the latter being for example between occupancies or on the market for sale. The Executive Member paid tribute to staff across departments who were working to achieve empty homes returning to occupancy.

In response to questions it was noted that: 

·     There were difficulties bring flats above commercial premises into residential use;

·     Some premises were temporarily empty due to being between occupancies;

·     Empty homes were classified by Council Tax depending on why and how long they have been left empty. This included for example, owners in hospital or receiving care etc and may be exempt from paying council tax. Appendix 1, the empty homes policy demonstrates the categories of dwellings which were exempt from Council tax payment;

·     Owners of unoccupied and substantially unfurnished empty properties receive a discount of 100% for 1 month, followed by 100% Council tax charge.

·     Premiums are applied to annual Council Tax charges once properties, falling outside of exemption categories, have been empty for 2 years plus to encourage owners to bring properties back into use sooner, as follows:

-      2 years or more – 100% premium (i.e. twice the annual charge)

-      5 years or more – 200% premium (i.e. three times the annual charge)

-      10 years or more 300% premium (i.e. four times the annual charge)

·     The New Homes Bonus rewarded local authorities for net additional homes added to the Council Tax Base, thereby seeking to incentivise authorities to encourage housing growth. Introduced in 2011, It applied in respect of additional new builds and conversions delivered above a baseline of housing growth, using the national average band D council tax rate. It also applied in respect of long-term empty properties brought back into use, and there was a premium for affordable homes.

RECOMMENDED

The Executive is recommended to adopt the Empty Homes Policy as set out in Appendix A to the agenda report.