Conservative Controlled Council Supports Empty Homes Week

Owners of empty homes who do not have the funds to refurbish them are being encouraged to take advantage of help available to bring them back into use and help to increase the number of homes available for rent in Tamworth.

There are currently 199 homes standing empty in Tamworth, of which 98% are privately owned, and many could be brought back into use with the help three different sources of funding.

Empty Homes Grants of up to £10,000 are available from Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council.  The scheme means these homes can be brought back up to standard, before being used to provide valuable rented accommodation for people needing a home.

The project is aimed specifically at people who may have been either left property as a legacy and struggle to maintain it, homeowners with no savings or people who have not been able to upkeep the home, while ill or living elsewhere.

Tamworth Borough Council also runs a joint initiative with Waterloo Housing Group.  The project includes refurbishing properties up to a reasonable letting standard.  Waterloo will then lease the property from the owner and manage and maintain it.

Homeowners taking part in the scheme will receive a guaranteed monthly rent for five years, after which the home will be returned to the owner in its improved condition.  The third source of funding is a loan of up to £15,000 through the National Empty Homes Loan Fund.

Tamworth Borough Council is using National Empty Homes Week, which runs from November 25 to November 29, as an opportunity to highlight the three schemes, and to offer help and advice to people who have empty properties in Tamworth.

Staff from the authority’s Strategic Housing Services Team will be holding a drop-in event at Marmion House on Tuesday November 26 from 10am to 3pm, to give more information on the help that is available to bring empty homes back into use.

Cllr Michael Greatorex, Cabinet member for Housing and Conservative councillor for Mercian ward, said, “The three schemes are excellent ways of bringing empty homes back into use, and providing good quality rented housing for people who need it.

“Recent changes to council tax legislation also means that if a property is left empty for more than two years, the owner will be charged 150% council tax, which means it is costing them to have their properties standing empty.

“We have approximately 2,000 people looking for a home in Tamworth and a shortage of affordable rented accommodation.  These initiatives are helping us to bridge the gap.  We are keen to work with property owners and I would urge anyone to get in touch to see if they can benefit from these schemes.”

For information about the Empty Homes Grant, the Waterloo scheme, the National Empty Homes Loan Fund or to report an empty property, please contact 01827 709469 or email housingstrategy@tamworth.gov.uk.