ealing council empty property strategy questionnaire and

Appendix 2

Ealing Council Empty Property Strategy Questionnaire and Response Summary

Introduction

The Consultation

Long term empty properties can cause problems, both for the owner and the wider community. Empty

homes can attract criminal activity and anti-social behaviour. If empty homes are neglected, they can cause

physical damage to adjacent properties, can reduce the marketability of properties in the vicinity, and can

deter investors and hamper economic development.

In Ealing there are approximately 700 properties which have been empty for over 6 months, equating to

approximately 0.5% of the housing stock in the borough. Since the last empty property strategy was

published in 2010 there has been an overall reduction of long term empty properties in the borough.

However with a severe housing shortage within the borough we would like to do more to help owners

bring their empty properties back into use.

Your views

It is appropriate that the Council adopts a new strategy however we would like to ensure that it is informed

by your views and provides the right direction. Prior to drafting the new strategy, we would like to know

what you think about the council’s current approach to empty properties and use this information to

inform and influence the new strategy. You may also have some ideas of how empty properties can be

brought back into use that have not been previously identified.

Please complete a short questionnaire to submit your views.

What happens next?

Your responses and feedback will be used to influence and develop the new empty property strategy,

which will be presented to Cabinet for their consideration. If the strategy is accepted it will be published

and implemented in the autumn this year.

Further information

For further information about this consultation please contact:

Rachel Fell

Telephone: 0208 825 8513

Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Appendix 2

Your interest in this strategy

Please tell us mainly in what capacity you are responding to this consultation. Are you/ do you...

rent in the private sector in Ealing

own your own home (outright or with a mortgage) in Ealing

rent from Ealing Council

looking for a house in Ealing

a private landlord

a letting agent/ estate agency

a community or voluntary sector organisation

a registered provider of social housing

a public sector organisation

Other (please specify)

1. Increasing the supply of housing

The council believes that by tackling empty properties this will contribute to increasing the supply of much

needed housing within the borough.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this?

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

Don’t know/can’t say

If you disagree please explain your views below

Appendix 2

Response Summary:

Of those who answered this question, 75% supported the view that tackling the prevalence

of empty properties would assist with increasing the amount of housing available within

Ealing.

Respondents who did not agree with this were invited to provide further details as to why,

and 50 responses were received and they are summarised here, as follows:

it was a person’s right to leave their own property empty if they chose

there were valid reasons for properties being left empty

there were not many empty properties in Ealing

bringing empty properties back into use would make little impact on providing more

homes

empty properties not suitable for use as accommodation as they are uninhabitable

concerns whether the council is capable of bringing empty properties back into use

concerns about why the council has failed to provide more affordable homes

generally

Appendix 2

2. Bringing empty properties back into use

The Councils adopts a staged approach to bringing empty properties back into use.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this approach?

Strongly

agree

Some

what

agree

Neither

agree nor

disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Strongly

disagree

Don’t

know/

can’t

say

Stage 1 - Identifying and prioritising empty

properties based on length of time empty,

condition and location

Stage 2- Providing advice and support to

the owner to establish the most

appropriate course to bring the empty

property back into use

Stage 3 - Monitoring the property to

ensure it is brought back into use within an

agreed timescale

Stage 4 - Using enforcement powers where

other interventions have failed to ensure

property is brought back into use

If you think other issues should be considered in our approach to tackling empty properties please

explain below

Appendix 2

Response Summary:

Of those who answered this question, 70% supported our current staged approach to

tackling the prevalence of empty properties in Ealing.

Respondents were also invited to offer their reasons for answering the way they did (222

responses were received). The comments which were both in favour and against the

council having an approach to empty properties are summarised as follows:

Respondents who were against action being taken in relation to empty properties

generally felt that the council should not intervene with privately owned property.

However, some respondents stated that intervention is justified where the property

is problematic (e.g. breaking the law or attracting anti-social behaviour).

Persons who supported action in relation to empty properties tended to cite the

need for more housing and the need to deal with problems associated neglect,

dilapidation and antisocial behaviour

However, whilst supportive of the council having a staged approach towards empty

properties, many emphasised the need for the actions to progress within a defined

timescale, with some feeling the process was too long.

Some respondents emphasised the need to establish the reasons why a property

was empty and to take a “case-by case” approach to taking action against empty

properties

Appendix 2

Some respondents suggested the council go directly to enforcement action, whilst

other felt it was more appropriate to offer incentives to home owners to encourage

them to let out their properties.

Respondents were also asked if they think other issues or actions should be considered in

the council’s approach to tackling empty properties, and the 168 responses received are

summarised below:

More robust enforcement against empty properties, including the use of compulsory

purchase powers

More publicity in regards to the work the council is doing and contact details for

where people can report empty properties

Improvements to the planning process to speed up application approvals

Offering incentives to landlords such as loans towards renovation

Financial incentives such as raised Council Tax levied in relation to empty

properties

Consideration of empty commercial properties and their potential to contribute to

housing provision

Incentives for landlords to make Ealing more attractive for investment

More restrictions on properties being sold as investments or second homes

General support for assistance to owners of empty properties but not for

intervention where owners are not present for good reason, or the property is empty

for good reason

Appendix 2

Grant assistance

The Council currently offers a discretionary grant of up to £15,000 towards empty properties in need of

repair work before they can be rented. When the works are completed the property must be let through

the council for 5 years.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the council providing empty property grants?

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree


Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree


If you disagree with the council providing empty property grants please explain why below

Appendix 2

Response Summary:

Of those who answered this question, 71% agreed with the council providing grants for

empty properties.



Tax payers money should not be used to assist persons who already have valuable

assets, landlords should fund their developments themselves

Issues with the conditions attached to the grant, eg, the requirements to let the

finished property through the council for a minimum of 5 years was considered too

long and too short

The monies should be offered as a repayable loan rather than a grant

The council should use enforcement powers and require home owners to improve

their properties

The grant scheme could encourage people to neglect their properties so as to be

eligible for financial assistance from the council

Property owners have the option to sell properties they cannot afford repair works

Appendix 2

Matchmaker Scheme

In 2012 the Council launched the empty property matchmaker scheme to bring together owners of empty

properties with buyers who want to purchase empty properties in the borough

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the council administering this scheme?

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree


Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree


If you disagree with the council administering the Matchmaker Scheme please explain why below.

Appendix 2

Response Summary:

Of those who answered this question, 68% agreed with the council offering a “Matchmaker

Scheme” to assist with introducing sellers of empty properties to prospective buyers.



Concerns that properties sold via this scheme will remain in the private market and

not be affordable homes and will not help those in real need of a home

The council should not use put resource into services which resembles those

provided by estate agents, and that it’s better that properties are sold via the open

market by estate agents

Concerns were voiced about how transparent this scheme is, and whether it was

open to abuse by unscrupulous property developers and the council

There are not many properties available via the scheme, and those that are

available are costly and unaffordable

Appendix 2

Strategy objectives

It is proposed that the new Empty Property Strategy sets out three key objectives to reduce empty

properties within the borough.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposed objectives?

Strongly

agree

Some

what

agree

Neither

agree nor

disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Strongly

disagree

Don’t

know/

cant

say

Improve the quality of neighbourhoods by

identifying and tackling the issues

associated with empty properties

Provide advice, information to help raise

awareness and address issues around

empty properties

Bring empty properties back into use to

increase the supply of quality, affordable

homes for residents in housing need

If you disagree with any of the objectives please state your reasons below

Appendix 2

Response Summary

Of those who answered this question, 81% agreed with having this objective.

Respondents were also invited to provide further comments on this, and 164 responses

were received and they are summarised here, as follows:

There was general support for the view that empty properties can contribute to a

decline in the quality of neighbourhoods, and that its better that properties are

occupied

However, it was also raised that are new-build properties that are left empty, but are

in good condition

The council should also consider bringing public buildings back into use

The newly introduced private property licensing scheme may disuade landlords

from renting their properties out, and the council should help make it more attractive

for landlords to let out their property

It should be for the owners themselves, and not the council, to deal with any issues

arising from their property being left empty

The council also needs to also consider the effect on neighbourhoods by issues

caused by overcrowding and the behaviour of tenants

Appendix 2

Response Summary:




Many respondents agreed with the provision of advice and information to help

people, with some citing they disagreed with any other council involvement

However, some respondents felt that the council should take more action believing

an enforcement approach was necessary

This would not only get the information about advice, support and incentives to help

owners of empty properties but it would result in more members of the public

knowing how they can report empty properties to the council

Many respondents stated that they did not feel this was necessary and was not a

good use of council resources

Appendix 2

Response Summary:




There was general wide agreement that Ealing needed more affordable homes, for

local residents

However, bringing empty properties back into use may not necessarily mean that

those new homes are affordable. Many respondents queries what “affordable”

means, stating the focus should be on social housing

Some respondents were in favour of the council helping and encouraging empty

properties back into use, but stated they were against enforcement action

However others felt the council should consider compulsory purchasing empty

homes. Some stated that consideration as to why the property is empty is needed

first and that compulsory purchase should not be used where there is good reason

for the properties being empty.

Respondents also cited concerns that the approach to empties was being used to

cover for wider council failings in planning for and building new homes

Some felt that utilising existing empty properties should be prioritised over building

on spaces such as parkland and allotments

Appendix 2

Further Comments

If you think the new Empty Property Strategy should have any other objectives, in addition to the above,

please let us know below:

Response Summary:

Respondents to the survey generally were in support of the proposed objectives. This part

of the survey invited respondents to provide their suggestions as to whether the council

ought to consider any other objectives. 105 responses were received and are summarised

below:

Respondents felt that the 3rd objective in relation to affordable housing was the

most important

To consider a new planning policy and processing planning applications more

quickly

To consider deterring persons who purchase of new properties from leaving them

empty

Some respondents felt it was important to prioritise utilisation of empty properties

over building more homes, whilst other felt the opposite

Assurances from the council that the quality of tenants moving into renovated empty

properties will be monitored

Consideration of commercial empty properties

Some believed that empty properties should be encouraged to be sold on the open

market, whilst others feel they should be made to be or donated as social housing

and not sold for profit

Some respondents questioned whether local authorities should have any

involvement with the housing market

Do you have any further suggestions on how empty properties can be brought back into

use in the borough?

Response Summary:

125 responses to this final part of the survey were received and are summarised below:

Attaching criteria to new-builds that they be used as permanent homes rather than

sold to investors

Offer more assistance to landlords such as grant for renovating properties which

have left in poor repair by previous tenants, council tax and business rates cuts and

removal of private property licensing.

Appendix 2

Consideration and utilisation of empty commercial property

Some respondents cited concerns with available council resource and stated that

properties empty for a long period of time had not been dealt with by the council

More sanctions, such as Council Tax increases and compulsory purchase action

against owners of empty properties who leave their properties empty and will not let

or sell them.

The provision of higher levels of grant assistance generally towards renovation

works

More publicity about empty properties and how members of the public can report

them.

ealing council empty property strategy questionnaire and

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