Action on empty homes helps clear debt

Publication date: Monday 25 January 2010

Haringey Council has found a way to help tackle homelessness and recoup some debts, primarily Council Tax, all at the same time.

The council is using Enforced Sales Procedures and Compulsory Purchase Orders to take enforcement action on the 50 worst empty eyesores in the borough. Any money owed to the council on these homes is taken out of the proceeds.

Since March this year, simply through the enforced sales process, the council has recovered almost £115,000 of debt from the owners of 11 empty properties.

Much of this money was raised through the enforced sale of two properties. A family has already moved into one of the empty properties and the other empty property is being renovated.

The council is now targeting another 27 properties for enforced sales to recover debts totalling more than £181,000.

Cllr John Bevan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Environment and Conservation, said:

"We really mean business. Where there is a debt to the council on a vacant property, the enforced sales procedure will be pursued."

The council recently recouped debt even when a building wasn't sold. The owners of a flat in Priory Road N8 that had been empty for 11 years settled their debt of more than £14,000 just before the property was sold at auction.

Cllr Bevan continues:

"Where the empty property owners have settled their debt and their properties remain empty, the council will automatically pursue these through the Compulsory Order process until these properties become occupied.

"It is crazy to have 3,000 privately owned properties unoccupied and abandoned when we have almost 4,000 households waiting for a permanent home. We know properties become empty sometimes because the owners can't cope and we can offer help in those cases.

"Leaving a property empty is not acceptable. Vacant properties attract criminal activities, vermin, can devalue the neighbouring properties and can become eyesores."

"Grants can sometimes be offered to owners of long term vacant properties for renovation. As well as providing comprehensive advice on all aspects of letting, the Council operates a rent deposit scheme and private sector leasing scheme to prevent homelessness and provide temporary accommodation for people who are homeless."

For information contact: Anoma Amarajeewa, Empty Homes Officer, on 020 8489 4214

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