SOUTH SOMERSET NEWS: All-time low for empty homes across the district

THE number of empty homes across South Somerset is at an all-time low – although there are still more than 200 standing unused which housing chiefs would like to see occupied.

As of October 2015 the number of long-term empty homes in South Somerset is 223, a reduction of 793 since 2012.

The figures have been released at the start of National Empty Homes Week, which runs from November 30 to December 6, 2015 - a national drive to highlight the waste of empty property nationwide, and to celebrate the success of numerous examples and new initiatives to bring empty homes back into use.

Properties become empty for a variety of reasons, including owners moving into nursing homes or other properties going into probate. In most cases owners of empty properties do not want to leave them unoccupied as invariably they are a drain on their resources in terms of unwanted bills for repairs, Council Tax, insurance, utilities and lost rental income.

The vast majority of the remaining empty properties are actively being marketed for sale or let, or are in the process of being refurbished for reoccupation.

Working together with Somerset Care & Repair, who run the council’s empty property scheme, there have been over 20 properties in South Somerset that have been bought back into use on this successful scheme.

These properties were in very poor condition and in most cases required over £20,000 of work to bring them up to a rentable standard.

One of the latest success stories is a property in Beer Street, Yeovil, which was empty for considerable time. The owners were struggling to raise the extra funds needed and make time to renovate the property, so together with money from the council, Somerset Care & Repair and the owners the renovation was completed.

South Somerset District Council offers a range of help, advice and financial assistance to those who have an empty property or are struggling to know where to get help. If properties remain unoccupied due to a lack of funds for refurbishment works or difficulty letting, small grants may be able to help with making properties ready for reoccupation.

On occasions properties are simply neglected, which can encourage issues like anti-social behaviour, they quickly fall into disrepair and gardens become overgrown causing a nuisance to neighbouring residents and affecting the value of neighbouring properties. This can sometimes result in enforcement action although we prefer to work with owners on a voluntary basis.

District council leader, Cllr Ric Pallister, who is also the authority’s housing spokesman, said: “The empty property scheme is an extremely good opportunity for owners to bring them back into use, but also good news for those in desperate need of housing.

“The empty properties are permanently improved and the owners have a property which is no longer depreciating in value and complaints are no longer received from neighbours.

“The funds are limited but people need to know help is out there.”

If you are the owner of an empty property and would like to discuss assistance available please contact South Somerset District Council’s empty homes officer Emma Baker on 01935-462433.

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