Move to force sale of empty homes

Published on Sunday 22 January 2012 00:00

COUNCILS could be given the power to sell empty homes as part of a raft of measures to cut the number of vacant properties, the Scottish Government said today.

A consultation will be launched by the housing minister Keith Brown, with the aim of cutting the total of 25,000 long-term empty homes across Scotland.

The Scottish Government is to work with Shelter Scotland and the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership to develop proposals.

One of the measures being floated is an enforced sale, where the local authority could apply for the power to sell a property which has been empty for a long time.

This would be used only in cases where a council’s attempts at working with the owner to bring an empty home back into use have not worked and it is in the public interest to ensure that the home is not left vacant.

The legal situation at the moment is that if an owner cannot be found or will not work with a council, local authorities can only use a compulsory purchase order to bring a home back into use.

The Scottish Government is part-funding three pilot shared empty homes officer posts, which will help councils work with owners to help them to rent or sell their vacant property.

Brown said: “Many councils have indicated to us, and to Shelter, that more enforcement powers are needed to tackle the problem of homes which have, in some cases, been empty for many years.

“That is why we plan to consult on greater enforcement powers for councils to give them more tools to deal effectively with the most problematic long-term empty homes.”

Brown added: “We are also encouraging councils to consider using their council tax revenue from empty and second homes to develop an empty homes loan fund, which would provide interest-free loans to help owners to bring their properties back into use as affordable housing.”

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10

HorridHenrietta

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 04:47 PM

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9

IMACOMPUTERBUDDIE

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 11:40 PM

I don't expect lord or lady or the duke and duchess of something or other have to sell their country pile, which lies empty for most of the year.

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8

IMACOMPUTERBUDDIE

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 11:31 PM

Will anybody actually be able to afford to live in them with the proposed benefit cuts.Where i live their are lots of holiday home lie empty for most of the year are the councils ging to force owners to let them out. Lots of these holiday homes have been let out not only has it led to the demise of the tourist trade as their are fewer houses for holiday lets it has also made this place much less safer. To put it bluntly scum have moved in.

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7

Ron Greer

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 10:14 PM

4 Yes indeed. Could someone on JSA afford one, or someone on the minimum wage? Would even someone on an average wage find it affordable? Ever heard s poltician definiing affordability?

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6

HumantestanimalToyou

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 03:27 PM

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5

HumantestanimalToyou

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 03:26 PM

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4

Tintock Pete

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 02:54 PM

There's that "affordable housing" again.

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3

flyinngscott

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 02:33 PM

Lots of room here for statutory notice style corruption. Sold to friends of the council lackeys at a massive discount, then drinks all round when sold on at market value. To give already corrupted councils more power is nuts.

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2

toby

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 11:29 AM

This appears to be heading towards the English proposal of encouraging elderly folk who go into a home, to rent their home and the proceeds go towards their costs of caring for the elderly.

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Colin RB

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 12:20 AM

so much for the housing shortage and homeless - subsidised public sector housing is just a way of blackmailing poor people to vote Labour and SNP

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