Empty properties

There is a definite shortage of affordable housing and the number of people on our Housing Register grows every day.

It is not possible for us to meet the need of all of our residents simply by referring them all to the suppliers of existing social housing and therefore we have to look at all parts of our housing market to meet demand.  This includes bringing empty properties back into use.

We use a range of mechanisms to bring these properties back into use. First of all we identify all long-term empty properties through our Council Tax records. This enables us to contact the owners of the properties in order to encourage them to bring them back into use.

We use a package of grants and loans to help with renovation costs and can even help to provide owners with a regular rental income through operating a system of nominations whereby residents on our Housing Register (waiting list) are referred to the landlord. This helps us to find homes for those who need them and ensures that the landlord does not have problems finding tenants.

Where empty properties are giving rise to problems, particulary in areas of high housing need, we use other tools to bring them back into use, such as compulory purchase orders. These methods tend to be a last resource where the owner has not been co-operative and has left the property empty and possibly in disrepair, for a long time. Whilst this may seem an extreme form of action, it should be balanced against the problems of crime, disorder and blight that empty properties can cause for their neighbours, and against the number of people who are unable to access the housing market.

In order to bring these properties back onto the market we work closely with a registered social landlord, Nottingham Community Housing Association (opens in a new window) (NCHA) who are our partners in empty property work.  We currently have a jointly funded Empty Property Officer working for both of us.  Where we purchase an empty property we use NCHA to buy the property from us and to renovate and manage it.

For more information on empty properties please contact us at:

Town Hall
Matlock
Derbyshire
DE4 3NN

Tel: 01629 761212
Fax: 01629 761165
email: envhealth@derbyshiredales.gov.uk