South West Regional Improvement Efficiency

PartnershipMaking use of existing stock – Building Capacity for Empty

Homes Teams

Lead Authority & Partners

• Lead Authority – Exeter City Council

• Partners – West Dorset District Council

• East Dorset District Council

• North Dorset District Council

• Purbeck District Council

• Weymouth & Portland Borough Council

Partners - Cont• Christchurch Borough Council

• Dorset Strategic Housing Group

• Plymouth City Council

• Devon Strategic Housing Group

Background to the Bid

• Mock inspection of Exeter City Council highlighted insufficient empty homes enforcement action

• 6 Dorset Housing authorities ‘red flagged’ for failing to effectively address the issues of empty property within the CAA report

The Bid• Joint initiative between Exeter City

Council and West Dorset District Council

• To deliver a 6 day training programme for 24 delegates from Dorset, Exeter Plymouth Local Authorities and partner authorities

Programme Objectives• Improve knowledge

• Provide skills for effective EH management and enforcement

• Establish a ‘tool kit’

• Improve performance

• Achieve efficiencies

Source of Training

• Technical Training

• Provided by Empty Homes Training Ltd

• Trainers

• Andrew Lavender - all aspects of enforcement

• David Gibbens - legislation

Source of Training

• Soft Skills• Delaney & Hart

Proposed Outcomes

• LA’s equipped to undertake existing and new duties related to the strategic housing function

• LA’s and Partners proactively working

• LA’ & Partners able to recruit staff with appropriate skills

Proposed Outcomes

• LA’s better placed to lever in Funding

• LA’s have a consistent approach to strategic housing

• Strategic Housing partnerships are able to draw on a robust evidence base to support their action

Where are we now?

• 24 Delegates

• Completed 10 days of training

• 6 Days technical training

• 4 Days soft skills

• Advisory service

• Empty Homes Network Web Site

Outcomes• Too early to assess • Increased skills and knowledge:• Comments from the delegates: ‘It has given me the confidence to deal with

empty homes complaints’‘It has provided me with information on new

ways of approaching empty home owners’

Delegate Responses• ‘Has given me the confidence and the

tools to tackle some of our problematical long term empties, we are embarking upon what might be our first enforced sale!’

‘The manuals should provide us with a great deal of help with the future delivery of empty property’.

Obstacles to Improved Outcomes• Inability to achieve ‘read only’ Council tax

information

• Empty homes officers do not have delegated powers to serve notices.

• Lack of understanding from senior management and members of the processes needed to provide improved outcomes.

Benefits for the Future• Provide increase in alternative housing

options

• Provide a housing resource for both social and private occupiers

• Improvement in Private Sector Housing stock

• Cost savings to the public sector

• Increased CT Revenue

New Legislation Affecting Empty Homes

New Homes Bonus

The Message from Government• Empty homes are a blight on local communities and a Empty homes are a blight on local communities and a

waste which we cannot afford. We need to harness waste which we cannot afford. We need to harness this potential to meet pressing housing need.”this potential to meet pressing housing need.”

• ““Through the New Homes Bonus, the Government Through the New Homes Bonus, the Government proposes to strengthen the incentive for local proposes to strengthen the incentive for local authorities to identify empty properties and work with authorities to identify empty properties and work with property owners to find innovative solutions that allow property owners to find innovative solutions that allow these properties to be brought back into use.”these properties to be brought back into use.”

Implications for exemptions• Unfurnished empties get Exemption Class “C” Unfurnished empties get Exemption Class “C”

for 6 monthsfor 6 months• At 6 months + 1 day they start costing the local At 6 months + 1 day they start costing the local

community circa £1,500community circa £1,500• vital to target homes coming up to 6 months vital to target homes coming up to 6 months

empty July, Augustempty July, August• Makes no difference how long homes are empty Makes no difference how long homes are empty

– focus on most numerous ie. those around 6 – focus on most numerous ie. those around 6 months empty.months empty.

Money for Empty Homes• 1 new LTE costs £1.5k approx p.a.1 new LTE costs £1.5k approx p.a.• 1 LTE less generates £1.5k approx p.a.1 LTE less generates £1.5k approx p.a.• Bonus only sustained if reduction sustainedBonus only sustained if reduction sustained• Difference of -5 and +5 p.a. = 10 x bonusDifference of -5 and +5 p.a. = 10 x bonus

• Say £15k p.a.Say £15k p.a.

• Councils are no longer able to ignore empty Councils are no longer able to ignore empty homes homes

New Homes Bonus • Money not ring fenced• Income likely to go to other areas of Council• Important that some of the income goes to

support the officer costs• Incentivise EH operatives by giving them the

NHB for all properties they bring back into use.

Enforcement

• EDMOs the only enforcement tool directly EDMOs the only enforcement tool directly targeted at LTEstargeted at LTEs

• Councils will find it easier to justify work and Councils will find it easier to justify work and expense associated with EDMOs.expense associated with EDMOs.

• Internal partnerships and corporate working Internal partnerships and corporate working must become more efficientmust become more efficient

• Council tax data must become easier to access!Council tax data must become easier to access!

Conclusion• Training provided expertise & knowledge• Indications for improved service are strong• Provided staff with expertise to support

initiatives that will produce high levels of NHB

Discussion/Questions

Contact Details

Sue Haigh

Empty Homes Partnership Manager

Exeter City Council

Tel:01392 265819

Email:sue.haigh@exeter.gov.uk