Empty Homes

North Wales Housing Association has assisted the local authorities to recruit 2 specialist Empty Homes Officers.

In Conwy, revenue funding is provided towards the post, whilst in Denbighshire a full-time officer, employed by NWHA, sits within the local authority Housing Renewal Team. In both authorities, this resource has raised awareness of the use of empty homes for affordable housing, and allowed such properties to be identified and targeted. This has seen the development of an Empty Homes Strategy.

The Denbighshire Empty Homes Project

In Denbighshire, the Empty Homes Officer has identified 800 long-term empty homes and over 150 owners who would be interested in working with the project to bring their property back into use.

A draft Empty Homes Strategy is being consulted upon and will be presented to both North Wales Housing Association's Board and Denbighshire County Council's Cabinet in April.

The draft proposes the following services or actions to bring empty homes back into use:

• Advice and information for those looking to sell or let their empty home
• RSL management and leasing schemes for those nervous or inexperienced about renting. Properties will be let at affordable levels
• Empty homes grants for those with insufficient funds to refurbish their empty home, with a condition that the property is managed or leased by an RSL for 5 years
• Enforcement for owners of problematic empty homes who are unwilling to work with us. Enforcement tools include enforced sale, compulsory purchase and empty dwelling management orders.