Councils must pull out all the stops to turn empties into affordable homes
UncategorizedPress Release Empty Homes Week 2011
Councils must pull out all the stops to turn empties into affordable homes
Independent charity Empty Homes is calling on the government to require Councils to offer “Empty homes” to prospective buyers and tenants at discounted prices.
Empty Homes has teamed up with Architect and Channel 4 presenter George Clarke who is this week launching a campaign to bring Britain’s 350,000 long-term empty homes back into use - “The Great British Property Scandal”.
Our Key messages are:
ñ There are now nearly 1 million empty homes (350,000 long term)
ñ There are 2 million families in need of a home
ñ In Britain we’re currently building 100,000 fewer new houses every year than we need
ñ 22,000 empty homes came back into use this year, over 1000 of which were reported to councils by us. With concerted effort this could be doubled
We have prepared a special “Tool kit” to help people campaign and find out more about bringing “Empties” back into use. There’s a video interview with George, and self-help videos that tells you “How to Spot An Empty”, “Dos & Don’ts of a Budget Build”, a “Campaign Video” and moving interviews with families in need: “Who needs an Empty?” www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-british-property-scandal/articles/home.
David Ireland, Empty Homes Chief Executive said: “ This is the eighteenth year in which we have run empty homes week and this year is by far the biggest and most important yet. We have been advisors to “The Great British Property Scandal” and are delighted that Channel 4 is broadcasting it to coincide with Empty Homes Week. The country’s housing situation is at crisis point, but there has never been a better opportunity to use empty homes to meet housing need. New families are forming at twice the rate that new homes are being built. The country needs homes quickly, and the best place to start is with those that already exist.”
”I sincerely hope that by working together with Channel 4 in “Empty Homes Week 2011” we can help the 2 million families in need of a home find a suitable solution. Already 2,865 people have reported an Empty to us through out website www.emptyhomes.com. If people want to buy or rent, spotting an Empty and reporting it whether it is owned by a local authority or privately can help to alleviate the UK’s housing shortage.
“I am now calling on all Councils to help by disposing of their own abandoned housing at discounted prices and for higher council tax to be imposed on long term empty homes and for the revenue generated to be reinvested in bringing more empty homes into use. People can join in and help by writing to their Council’s, MPs, Ministers and the Prime Minister in support of our campaign.“
Dates to watch Channel4:
ñ On Monday 5th December @ 9pm “The Great British Property Scandal!” presented by George Clarke
ñ On Tuesday 6th December @ 9pm “The Great British Property Scandal!” presented by George Clarke
ñ On Wednesday 7th December @ 9pm “Phil’s Empty Homes Giveaway”
We believe that government could do more to help minimise the numbers of publicly owned empty homes by:
· Publishing an annual report of the state of public sector empty homes.
· Amending the Community Right to Use empty property
· Issue guidance to government departments and agencies on the prompt disposal of empty homes.
I have prepared a Q & A for people thinking about buying an empty
http://emptyhomes.com/what-we-do-2/campaign-demands-2/campaign-demands/1769-2/
I have also prepared a letter for favour of publication available here:
http://emptyhomes.com/what-we-do-2/campaign-demands-2/campaign-demands/1765-2/
Factfile:
1. House building rates are at the lowest since the 1920s yet there are tens of thousands of houses lying empty in areas where big regeneration schemes have failed. These range from entirely empty council estates in London, to whole streets of empty housing in cities in the north of England.
2. Many of these “Empties” are in poor condition and the market isn’t strong enough. Empty properties need to be sold at affordable prices to people prepared to refurbish them.
3. The Government has recently said it will invest another £50 million to get empty homes into use . This funding is very welcome, but on it’s own it won’t be enough. The government says the funding is “to tackle concentrations of poor quality homes in areas of low demand” and comes on top of £100million grant fund that has also just opened for applications.
4. There is renewed interest among policy makers in getting “Empties” back into use. Jason McCartney the Conservative MP for Colne Valley secured an Adjournment Debate on this important issue in the House on November 29th 2011. Many similar minded MPs across party joined in. This is an important time to lobby your local MP on this issue.
5. In the last year 22,000 thousand empty homes came back into use. With greater support from councils this number could increase substantially.
To arrange an interview please contact Shashi Ioannides 020 7921 4450
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