howie
12-03-2009, 06:05 PM
Town hall threat to seize empty homes: campaign to force owners to sell or rent out
Anyone who leaves their house empty for six months or more should face the threat of losing it, ministers said yesterday.
They told town halls to pressure homeowners to sell up or rent out homes where no one is living.
Those who fail to get a house occupied before the deadline risk having it seized by their local authority and used to house council tenants.
The campaign to force homeowners to dispose of empty houses was launched by housing minister Margaret Beckett, who said the slowdown in construction of homes means empty ones must be used.
It is most likely to affect recently bereaved families who could face seeing the home of a dead relative taken if they delay too long in deciding what to do with it.
During the recession many families are likely to hang on to empty property because they cannot sell or let it, or because they are hoping for higher prices.
Councils have been told to send threatening letters warning homeowners of their powers to 'take over the running of the property and bring it back into use by force'.
Owners who fail to respond will then be sent questionnaires designed to establish whether the town hall has the legal right to seize their property.
Powers for councils to seize empty homes were pushed through by former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in 2004 and put into effect nearly three years ago.
But local authorities have been deeply reluctant to use Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMO) - so far only 20 properties have been taken from their owners' control.
Mrs Beckett said unoccupied buildings blight neighbourhoods and added: 'Councils must do all they can to bring empty homes in their area back into use. With house building slowing in the current economic climate, that is more important than ever.'
Guidelines published by the Department of Communities and Local Government called for 'increasing pressure on owners to bring their empty properties back into use'.
Town hall chiefs were told: 'Even the threat of an EDMO can have a significant impact on encouraging owners to work with councils to bring homes back into use.'
But attempts to use the orders - initially known as Compulsory Leasing before Labour changed the name - were condemned by Tories.
Tory housing spokesman Grant Shapps said: 'It is the height of Labour hypocrisy to instruct town halls to use draconian powers to seize the homes of the recently deceased, while plush ministerial grace-and-favour homes lie empty in Whitehall.'
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Foreign Secretary David Miliband are among Cabinet ministers who have left ministerial homes unoccupied.
Property experts said that threats to take control of empty homes would have an impact on bereaved families.
Henry Stuart of City law firm Withers said: 'In a recession a greater number of people will leave property vacant for good reasons.'
EDMO rules say a home cannot be seized if the owner is in a care home, or away caring for someone. Nor can it be taken if the owner is a serviceman or woman away on duty, or if it is used as a holiday home.
But if an owner has no legally-approved excuse for keeping a home empty, councils can demand it be put on the market.
Otherwise they can take control and let it out to council tenants.
The seizure must be approved by a Residential Property Tribunal and the rent is passed to the owner after the council has taken a share to cover its own costs.
There are currently nearly 300,000 privately- owned homes that have been empty for six months or more.
But there are also 80,000 empty local council and housing association dwellings.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1160819/Town-hall-threat-seize-homes-Campaign-force-owners-sell-rent.html
Anyone who leaves their house empty for six months or more should face the threat of losing it, ministers said yesterday.
They told town halls to pressure homeowners to sell up or rent out homes where no one is living.
Those who fail to get a house occupied before the deadline risk having it seized by their local authority and used to house council tenants.
The campaign to force homeowners to dispose of empty houses was launched by housing minister Margaret Beckett, who said the slowdown in construction of homes means empty ones must be used.
It is most likely to affect recently bereaved families who could face seeing the home of a dead relative taken if they delay too long in deciding what to do with it.
During the recession many families are likely to hang on to empty property because they cannot sell or let it, or because they are hoping for higher prices.
Councils have been told to send threatening letters warning homeowners of their powers to 'take over the running of the property and bring it back into use by force'.
Owners who fail to respond will then be sent questionnaires designed to establish whether the town hall has the legal right to seize their property.
Powers for councils to seize empty homes were pushed through by former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in 2004 and put into effect nearly three years ago.
But local authorities have been deeply reluctant to use Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMO) - so far only 20 properties have been taken from their owners' control.
Mrs Beckett said unoccupied buildings blight neighbourhoods and added: 'Councils must do all they can to bring empty homes in their area back into use. With house building slowing in the current economic climate, that is more important than ever.'
Guidelines published by the Department of Communities and Local Government called for 'increasing pressure on owners to bring their empty properties back into use'.
Town hall chiefs were told: 'Even the threat of an EDMO can have a significant impact on encouraging owners to work with councils to bring homes back into use.'
But attempts to use the orders - initially known as Compulsory Leasing before Labour changed the name - were condemned by Tories.
Tory housing spokesman Grant Shapps said: 'It is the height of Labour hypocrisy to instruct town halls to use draconian powers to seize the homes of the recently deceased, while plush ministerial grace-and-favour homes lie empty in Whitehall.'
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Foreign Secretary David Miliband are among Cabinet ministers who have left ministerial homes unoccupied.
Property experts said that threats to take control of empty homes would have an impact on bereaved families.
Henry Stuart of City law firm Withers said: 'In a recession a greater number of people will leave property vacant for good reasons.'
EDMO rules say a home cannot be seized if the owner is in a care home, or away caring for someone. Nor can it be taken if the owner is a serviceman or woman away on duty, or if it is used as a holiday home.
But if an owner has no legally-approved excuse for keeping a home empty, councils can demand it be put on the market.
Otherwise they can take control and let it out to council tenants.
The seizure must be approved by a Residential Property Tribunal and the rent is passed to the owner after the council has taken a share to cover its own costs.
There are currently nearly 300,000 privately- owned homes that have been empty for six months or more.
But there are also 80,000 empty local council and housing association dwellings.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1160819/Town-hall-threat-seize-homes-Campaign-force-owners-sell-rent.html