You can change your cookie settings at any time. We have looked at releasing them back into general need but because of where they are and their allocation, we have to be careful. MORE than a dozen council properties have stood empty for years - costing Flintshire thousands of pounds in lost rental income. Comments have been closed on this article. Empty properties. Applicant must have sufficient equity within their property to cover the loan amount/or offer a different property with sufficient equity for security, Applicants property must be long term vacant (over 6 months), Property must be tenanted until the loan is released or sold, On completion of the works, the property must be habitable and of a lettable standard (no, Property must be covered by buildings insurance until the loan is repaid, Maximum loan of 35,000 subject to eligibility testing and loan assessment, The Council holds a share of the property value, to the cost of the works, Loan is repaid on sale or transfer (maximum loan term is 2 years for sale and 5 years for rent), Voluntary early repayment may be made at any time. A review of sheltered housing in Flintshire is set to be carried out because of an 'excessive' amount of empty properties. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Either staged repayments (monthly, quarterly or yearly) or full repayment at the end of the HIL term or on sale of the property if earlier. O
Council holds share of property to be repaid on sale or transfer. J
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 . 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. Dear Mr Evans, I write to acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request which has been given the reference number R013477. Empty/derelict properties in Flintshire - a Freedom of Information budget, as well as approving a transfer of 200,000 from a contingency reserve to replenish the authority's Winter Maintenance Reserve. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Empty flats could also be used to cut council spending on delayed transfer from care or hospital for people not yet ready to return to their own homes. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to , The repairs and maintenance team also utilise these contractors when works are either too large or complex to manage. 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. B
A proportion of the grant is repayable on sale or transfer if within 5 years. Cllr Attridge said: The people being let down are the people we represent, the tenants.. There are approximately 500 long term empty properties in the County. We use cookies to improve your experience. W
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations put forward toaddressthe challenges identified within the Voids Action Plan. I believe the one in Lixwm is being considered for a lady with disabilities, said Coun Yale. 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. When an empty property is being sold after the death of the owner the property is exempt of Council Tax for 6 months after the granting of probate. 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. A new council scheme could see owners of dilapidated or empty buildings in Flintshire being forced to sell. In Flintshire, council tax records indicate 888 properties have been empty on a long-term basis or are second homes which could be potentially liable for the premium. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail. He said: Many old and vulnerable adults rely on the support and friendship from resident wardens.. For owners of vacant properties to bring up to lettable standard, in eligible areas, to be occupied by Council nominated tenants for 5 years. Flintshire County Council's Social Services department Housing Apply for a Council house and find other advice relating to Flintshire County Council's Housing services Jobs and. 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. Council holds share of property to be repaid on sale or transfer within 2-3 years. 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. Ms Harkin revealed the 19 empty properties in Glan y Morfa Court were not being offered to potential tenants because bedsits were no longer popular. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The authority's housing revenue account however forecasts an expenditire of 3.1m higher than was budgeted for. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. PO5: 48,747 pa (including London Weighting) rising in annual increments to 51,783 pa: Speaking before the meeting, Cllr Bernie Attridge said: This is absolutely dreadful. Q
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. 3 2 OnTheMarket > 14 days Marketed by Anwyl Homes - Summers Bridge 01244 988015 Email agent New build It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Empty Homes | East Cambridgeshire District Council If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can The concern has been raised after the number of households across Flintshire which needed temporary accommodation more than doubled over three months. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line. Wrexham Glyndwr University set to rebrand as Prifysgol Wrecsam/Wrexham University. All of this has impactedon the progress of refurbishment works withinempty properties throughout the county. 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. 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. 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. Empty sheltered housing in Flintshire 'costing 250k in lost rent' *Stats independent & directly measured by Google, via the Analytics Live API. Property must be covered by buildings insurance until the loan is repaid. , 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. 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. "There is a recent trend of increased numbers of households in Bed & Breakfast accommodation with numbers increasing progressively month on month from 29 in October to 61 in January, so more than doubling over a period of three months. That initiative falls under the Town . Launched in 2014, Deeside.com is an independent online news and information website. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. "This is due to a combination of more new placements and fewer households moving on. X
Council bosses are being asked whether hard-to-let sheltered housing should be adapted to be made more suitable, or offered for use by tenants of any age. Maximum loan of 10,000 subject to eligibility testing and loan assessment. If your application is accepted, you'll go on to a waiting list of people who need a council home. S
Applicant must have sufficient equity within their property to cover the loan amount, Applicants property must be long term vacant (over 6 months) and the Council satisfied that a housing need exists in the area, Property must be tenanted until the loan is released, Property owner must agree to the property being managed by a social lettings agency. For owners of 6months plus, surveyed as non-decent vacant residential properties to bring up to lettable standard, to be occupied by Council nominated tenants. Please report any comments that break our rules. Nearest school 0.6mi. Flintshire Share Read about our approach to external linking. Challenges faced by the council included the availability of skilled resources, raw materials and linked price increases, all of which impacts negatively on void delivery and turnaround times. That then creates an opportunity for the council to review, modernise and re-occupy these properties. Council set to pull out of managed lettings, Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended. An empty home need to be looked after as much as one which is lived in. Max: 25,000 per unit of accommodation (150,000 per applicant maximum). Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail. Read about our approach to external linking. Frank Williams, who has lived in Lixwm village all his life, raised the issue of the empty wardens bungalow at the OAP development in Bryn Tirion with the Daily Post over six years ago. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. FLINTSHIRE has more than 200 empty council properties - even though there's a waiting list of 4,000 people desperate for homes. They might also call it 'social housing'. Empty Homes - Flintshire The result was lost rent of 242,492 in 2018-19, the report said, equivalent to 2.2% of the 11.3m raised from sheltered accommodation tenants. Empty council houses in Wrexham increase as extensive repairs take Empty buildings to be revitalised in Wrexham and Flintshire town Y
Miss Harkin said: We need to radically improve where we are now.. Cabinet member for housing, councillor Helen Brown, said: "It is no longer acceptable for properties to remain empty when the need for housing is increasing. Lambeth, London, Grade & Salary: 37,308-40,806 (Grade 6): "At this rate of net growth there remains a clear risk of overspend despite additional in-year funding having been provided by Welsh Government.". 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 . Deeside.com Est. 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. But, the re-tendering exercise will 'increase resilience', whilst ensuring newly procured contractors are held accountable to performance targets. Good for the local economy I hope!! the use of cookies. The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership exists to help bring private sector empty homes back into use. This strategy is available at the bottom of this . the use of cookies. Flintshire Council set to reduce pesticide use to support wildlife, Bid to tackle challenges surrounding empty council houses in Flintshire, Frightened and desperate families speak out over housing rental shortage. The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership exists to help bring private sector empty homes back into use. If you are concerned that a property is empty in your area report it at emptyhomes@shelter.org.uk or phone the Empty Homes Advice Service on 0344 515 1941. The latest analysis of properties shows a total of 772 properties are currently subject to the 50% premium charge, consisting of 605 long term empty properties and 167 second homes. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Empty Homes - Clackmannanshire 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. ", The current site of the Cardiff bus station is to become the new home for BBC Cymru Wales. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Sheltered housing in remote areas suffered from limited access to shops, especially with the closure of local convenience stores, the report said, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Comments have been closed on this article. Flintshires Empty Homes Flintshire County Council. 2. 4 bedroom detached house to rent Gardd Eithin, Northop Hall, Flintshire, CH7. , 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. I know of four people who have tried to rent it and two people who tried to buy it. The role in Development Management provide a perfect opportunity for successful candidate to thrive and progress in their planning career On top of the loss, the council is spending 3,500 on bringing each property up to standard. The Housing and Assets Service housing stock consists of around 7,300 properties. 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Council Tax discounts and reduction: Empty properties | GOV.WALES Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Your council will then prioritise applications based on who needs a home most urgently. The report states: "Although, there is continued support via the new Homelessness No One Left Out grant, with a further allocation of 0.256m being confirmed recently, this still falls well below the amount of support the council received via the Hardship Fund in 2020/21 and 2021/22. You can apply for a home through your local council. By bringing them back into use we could remove the problems associated with empty homes for the good of the wider community and help address housing needs. Some flats become unsuitable as tenants grow older, the report said. 2014, *Stats independent & directly measured by Google, via the Analytics Live API. For owners of 6 months plus, vacant residential properties to bring up to lettable standard. D
Flintshire County Council retains tenancy rights for the duration of the agreement. Upstairs flats also became unsuitable for elderly tenants over time as they became less mobile, it added. , Chief officer for housing and assets, Neal Cockerton, said the agreed payment rates are shortly due to lapse and need renewing. 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. In addition to setting out the projected positions and projections for various council departments, the report also sets out a number of risks which are being 'tracked.'. Properties, including houses on the Holway estate, Holywell, and bedsits in sheltered housing complex Glan y Morfa Court, Connahs Quay, have been identified by the council as practically impossible to let. Analysis showed "a series of issues where some of the schemes appear unpopular", resulting in a high turnover and properties left empty. 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. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. 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. More than 2m has been spent on bringing empty council homes in Flintshire back into use last year. The full list of every second home and empty property in Wales The Welsh Government has launched a new Home Improvement Loan scheme offering financial support to owners of private properties. Flintshire Council's Cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss a revenue budget monitoring report for 2022/23. By viewing our content you are accepting
Empty council homes costing Flintshire thousands An example would be, works to remedy serious disrepair, provide modern kitchen . These include empty homes: The authority is now planning a more flexible role for its wardens so that they can better respond to the needs of the elderly people they care for. 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.. Council house info and waiting times - WhatDoTheyKnow For further information call: 01352 703434, Housing Regeneration and Strategy County Offices Chapel Street Flint Flintshire CH6 5BD. Committee chairman Cllr Ron Hampson said: This is the biggest problem weve got. FLINTSHIRE Council chiefs have denied a councillors' claims that the coronavirus pandemic is being used as an excuse for the authority not turning around empty properties quickly enough. The result was lost rent of 242,492 in 2018-19, the report said, equivalent to 2.2% of the 11.3m raised from sheltered accommodation tenants. The number of empty council houses in Wrexham has risen amid efforts to carry out more extensive repairs, a new report has shown. 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. Buying an empty home - Flintshire Housing Fears over burial space capacity at two Flintshire cemeteries discussed by council, Network Rail confirms when noisy engineering works on the line in Deeside will end. Applying for a Council Tax discount or reduction. Please report any comments that break our rules. More than 2m spent on repairing empty council houses in Flintshire Read about our approach to external linking. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's ", Sean O'Donnell replied by saying:"This is something that we really want to work hard on over the next few months. Bedsits were also "generally unpopular" with older tenants and tended to be used as short-term accommodation. This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. The borough council last night confirmed a total 16 former. The Welsh Government has launched a new Loan scheme offering financial support to owners of private properties. Council bosses are being asked whether hard-to-let sheltered housing should be adapted to be made more suitable, or offered for use by tenants of any age. The reasons include distance from shops, and upstairs flats unsuitable for less mobile elderly tenants. 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. 4. We use cookies to improve your experience. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. N:B Applications will also be considered from first time buyers who wish to reside at the property themselves and who are also registered on the Councils Affordable Home Ownership Register. Empty sheltered housing in Flintshire 'costing 250k in lost rent' Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed. The Council's Empty Homes Strategy involves working with other appropriate agencies and demonstrates the Council's commitment to improve this problem. , The most economically advantageous tenderer, based on price and quality will be allocated work as first choice and this will continue unless the client feels the tenderers financial threshold is exceeded. , The councils cabinet will be asked to agree on the new framework at a meeting tomorrow, Tuesday 17 July. Lambeth, London, PO3: 42,510 pa (including London Weighting) rising in annual increments to 45,711 pa: We use cookies on your computer or mobile device to help make this website better. 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. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Houses to rent in Flintshire | OnTheMarket Natural Resources Wales: Owner Occupier Loans Housing Regeneration. landlords, owner occupiers who pass affordability checks. FLINTSHIRE: Councillors' share empty property concerns This equates. Dear Flintshire County Council, I am a local property developer (Hawarden based) using local tradesmen to renovate property in the area. , The authority launched a drive to try and improve the quality of accommodation it lets out, but said empty properties had gone up to 281 as they failed to keep pace. Analysis showed "a series of issues where some of the schemes appear unpopular", resulting in a high turnover and properties left empty. Empty properties could be used to address 'significant increase' in 01244 725688. This is designed to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. Work has begun on a 3.1m redevelopment of Aberystwyth railway station in Mid Wales. The proposal aims to tackle the 469 homes currently empty in the Welsh county. G
Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. 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. As a result, there are many challenges and obstacles that arise when completing refurbishment and capital investment works to these older properties. A 100 million fund has been announced by Kris Hopkins, housing minister, which would enable council tenants to exert more control over their homes. READ MORE:Flintshire Council set to reduce pesticide use to support wildlife. Houses for sale in Flintshire | OnTheMarket We are looking for a motivated planner to join our team to help us make a positive difference to Waless environment Amongst the recommendations to cabinet members are that they note the report and the estimated financial impact on the 2022/23 Work to turn the former Co-operative store in Newcastle into shops, leisure facilities and a hotel in a 17m redevelopment have begun. F
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.