empty council houses in flintshire

Communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles has granted planning permission to a redevelopment of Pinewood Studios that would almost double its capacity. Nearest school 0.6mi. "This is due to a combination of more new placements and fewer households moving on. 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. A new council scheme could see owners of dilapidated or empty buildings in Flintshire being forced to sell. , 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. landlords, owner occupiers who pass affordability checks. The Voids Action Plan was discussed during theCommunity andHousing Overview andScrutiny Committee meeting held on Wednesday, March 8. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to , It comes after neighbouring Wrexham Council admitted earlier this month that the external contractors it uses are struggling to keep up with the rate of repairs needed. Comments have been closed on this article. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Flintshire County Council retains tenancy rights for the duration of the agreement. 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. Empty Homes. 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. 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. Speaking before the meeting, Cllr Bernie Attridge said: This is absolutely dreadful. Mr Williams said: Just think about the rent they have lost. Suggested solutions include installing stairlifts, putting in extensive adaptations for people with disabilities, and support to allow residents to do internet shopping. , By Liam Randall Local Democracy Reporter. The Housing and Assets Service housing stock consists of around 7,300 properties. The proposal aims to tackle the 469 homes currently empty in the Welsh county. 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. It also had 340 long term chargeable empty homes, down on last year's figure of 433. 2023 BBC. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. A 100 million fund has been announced by Kris Hopkins, housing minister, which would enable council tenants to exert more control over their homes. The Voids Action Plan was. Council house info and waiting times - WhatDoTheyKnow That initiative falls under the Town . Empty Homes | East Cambridgeshire District Council A proportion of the grant is repayable on sale or transfer if within 5 years. 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 secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Suggested solutions include installing stairlifts, putting in extensive adaptations for people with disabilities, and support to allow residents to do internet shopping. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's The reasons behind the current void backlog, the challenges both pre and post-COVID that restricted the council operations, were captured in the previous report on voids presented to Scrutiny in late 2022,alongside planned activity to improve performance. Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations put forward toaddressthe challenges identified within the Voids Action Plan. 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. As a result, there are many challenges and obstacles that arise when completing refurbishment and capital investment works to these older properties. The reasons include distance from shops, and upstairs flats unsuitable for less mobile elderly tenants. This has a number of cross cutting service links through Housing Management, fromthe refurbishment of the void to prepare it for reoccupation and the re-letting of the property to those on the General Housing Register. 2023 BBC. Property & houses for sale in Flintshire Create alert Grid view Map view Sort: Most recent 259,995 3 bedroom semi-detached house for sale Plot 26, The Epsom at Summers Bridge, Welsh Road, Deeside CH5 Nearest station 1.2mi. Review of sheltered housing set to be launched as some properties lie This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. R Head of housing Maureen Harkin said the problems were down to a number of factors, including inconsistent management and poor productivity. , Chief officer for housing and assets, Neal Cockerton, said the agreed payment rates are shortly due to lapse and need renewing. Flintshire County Council retains tenancy rights for the duration of the agreement. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership exists to help bring private sector empty homes back into use. Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail. We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. K These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. This equates. 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 . We use cookies to improve your experience. Council holds share of property to be repaid on sale or transfer within 2-5 years. U A review by Flintshire County Council showed some schemes were not popular. , Get notified about news from across North Wales, Long delays on A55 in Flintshire following a collision, Ewloe glamping pods plan refused due concerns over impact on open countryside, 24 hour support and advice helpline now available to individuals with autism and neurodivergence, Hospice appeal for volunteers at the ESSAR Chester Half Marathon, Youngsters commend north Wales health board for its commitment to improving patient experience, Cost of Living Crisis: Home appliance costs surge for UK families, Transport watchdog demands urgent action from Transport for Wales to improve rail service reliability, NEWSAR: Phone Find technology helps locate person in need of help in Deeside countryside. MORE than a dozen council properties have stood empty for years - costing Flintshire thousands of pounds in lost rental income. Empty/derelict properties in Flintshire - a Freedom of Information 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. A review by Flintshire County Council showed some. He said there was no good explanation from the authority then about why it was empty and in the intervening six years it had remained empty. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed. Q Cllr Attridge said: The people being let down are the people we represent, the tenants.. 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. contact the editor here. 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. The target timescales for the refurbishment of a property classified as a minor void is 20 working days and that figure is45 working days for a major void. A We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. Empty buildings to be revitalised in Wrexham and Flintshire town Bedsits were also "generally unpopular" with older tenants and tended to be used as short-term accommodation. OnTheMarket > 14 days Marketed by Matthews of Chester - Chester. M A review by Flintshire County Council showed some . Conwy had 1,155 chargeable second homes but only 1,181, last year, whilst Denbighshire had 397 and 393. But, the pandemic, Brexit and the war in Ukraine have created a number of challenges for the council's Housing Service over the past two years in particular. Flintshire Council headquarters at County Hall, Mold. He said: , The voids team utilise contractors for works to empty properties that is unable to be resourced or delivered via the direct work force. They might also call it 'social housing'. O 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. Empty sheltered housing in Flintshire 'costing 250k in lost rent' Coun Aaron Shotton, Labour Leader, said: To remove resident wardens and replace them with mobile wardens is a retrograde step that will leave many of our elderly feeling very vulnerable. Applying for a Council Tax discount or reduction. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. 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. That then creates an opportunity for the council to review, modernise and re-occupy these properties. 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. Deeside.com Est. Empty Homes - Clackmannanshire Upstairs flats also became unsuitable for elderly tenants over time as they became less mobile, it added. A review by Flintshire County Council showed some schemes were not popular. A Gannett Company. Furthermore, the report also urges councillors to reduce the age of eligibility for sheltered housing from 60 to 55, in line with local housing associations. The number of empty council houses in Wrexham has risen amid efforts to carry out more extensive repairs, a new report has shown. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. 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 Share 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. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. For more information, please follow this link. 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. By viewing our content you are accepting Upstairs flats also became unsuitable for elderly tenants over time as they became less mobile, it added. This has the added benefit of bringing the house back into use. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. More than 2m spent on repairing empty council houses in Flintshire We use cookies on your computer or mobile device to help make this website better. Empty Homes - Flintshire Council holds share of property to be repaid on sale or transfer. Buying an empty home - Flintshire Housing Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, described it as a dereliction of duty. But the new proposal has already come under fire from Labour opposition on Flintshire, who have pledged to fight it. READ MORE:Flintshire Council set to reduce pesticide use to support wildlife. Getting a council home - Citizens Advice Amongst the recommendations to cabinet members are that they note the report and the estimated financial impact on the 2022/23 Maximum loan of 10,000 subject to eligibility testing and loan assessment. These include empty homes: N 2014. It doesnt make sense.. Please report any comments that break our rules. Wales-wide reports. FOIA Request - Wales 2. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. V Y Read about our approach to external linking. Lists. 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. It means they will not be tied to council-owned warden accommodation, but can live anywhere. This loan is to help owners bring empty properties back in to use. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. 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. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? I believe the one in Lixwm is being considered for a lady with disabilities, said Coun Yale. , The repairs and maintenance team also utilise these contractors when works are either too large or complex to manage. 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.. New BBC Wales HQ to be built on Cardiff bus station, Housing fund puts power back in tenants' hands, Regeneration of Newcastle's Co-op building begins. 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. contact the editor here. However, there are many reasons why properties become vacant long term and the Council wants to help owners to bring these homes back into use. Dear Mr Evans, I write to acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request which has been given the reference number R013477. FLINTSHIRE has more than 200 empty council properties even though theres a waiting list of 4,000 people desperate for homes. P the use of cookies. Read 327,693 times in last 30 days An example would be, works to remedy serious disrepair, provide modern kitchen . 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. Buying an empty home. J All monies will be paid to you on provision of a Contractor(s) invoice on completion of the works. 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. For owners of 6 months plus, vacant residential properties to bring up to lettable standard. , The total value for the framework period is an estimated 11,500,000. This grant is to help owners bring empty properties back in to use within the Councils strategic Renewal Area. Minimum loan of 500. The borough council last night confirmed a total 16 former warden properties have been empty, some for several years, while the authority considered its sheltered housing policy. Flintshire Council paid approximately 2.3m to bring its vacant social houses back to an appropriate standard for new tenants in the last 12 months .

4,000 Gallon Water Truck Specs, Bushwick, Brooklyn Shooting, Saturn In Aquarius Tarot, Articles E