Specific measures for bringing empty properties back into use
Our approach to dealing with empty residential properties is twofold:
Council Tax premiums – through the Council’s ability to charge higher premiums on vacant properties, we will seek to drive down the number of long term empty properties
Complaint Driven - irrespective of the length of time premises remain unoccupied we will visit the property and validate the complaint with a risk assessment of the property and make contact with the owner, where possible, to determine the reasons for lack of occupation and proposals of bringing the property back into use.
We will try to make contact with the owners to ascertain their intentions for property.
Dependant on the response of the owner, the risk to neighbours/people and the harm to the amenity of the area, we will determine the most appropriate course of action to bring the property back into use.