We have had a few calls in recent days from people who are not getting the reports they want about long-term empties from council tax systems. This follows on from newly-implemented changes in discounts and exemptions. Successor codes to Council tax exemption…
The National Audit Office has produced a report on the New Homes Bonus. As might be expected the report focuses mainly on the aspect of incentivising the delivery of new homes, but it also covers the aspect of rewards for the re-occupation of empty homes. Its…
We are very pleased to announce that Don Foster MP has said that he would be "delighted" to accept our invitation to speak at The Empty Homes Conference 2013, to be held in Birmingham on 21st May. Don is the government minister with immediate…
Inside Housing quotes the Government's Empty Homes Tsar who wants to quadruple Council Tax on empty homes. http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/councils-should-quadruple-tax-on-empty-homes/6526129.articleThe people's responses act as a reminder…
A news report on the Empty Homes website reveals that the popular Great British Property Scandal programmes presented by George Clarke and produced for Channel 4 television have been nominated for an Emmy award in the "digital programme non-fiction"…
We’re very pleased to announce that, as of 1st March 2013, all 22 of the Welsh local authorities have joined the Empty Homes Network under a Collective Membership that will last through to March 2015. All employees of the Welsh councils will now be able to…
An innovative new project to explore new routes to community engagement around empty homes has taken a major step forward with the appointment of Aisling McCourt as Engagement and Partnership Manager for the project at Tameside MBC. **Greater Manchester Empty…
An Information Tribunal seems to have brought to a close the long-drawn out controversy around Freedom of Infomation requests for lists of empty homes. The Tribunal's conclusion, in its re-hearing of the appeal of Voyjas against the original decision by…
The "Forgotten Spaces 2013" competition is being launched this week, inviting submissions for spaces in London and Preston. Planning magaizne reports that The Forgotten Spaces competition, run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)…
Bookings for the 2013 Empty Homes Conference to be held in Birmingham on May 21st are now being taken and the Conference Programme has been published, with all speakers confirmed except for Don Foster MP, who we are very much hoping will attend. The…
Eric Pickles has finally announced the on-off-on relaxation of conversion of commercial to residential use. The change is however restricted to changes from use class B1(a) (office use) to C3 - single household dwelling house. Theere will be a prior approval…
A story in the Financial Times published on Monday says that a move to make it easier to convert offices to residential use by relaxing planning controls is about to be implemented. The article says The Financial Times has learnt that planning minister Nick…
We're starting to prepare for the 2013 National Conference. As always our members' views on what they'd like the Conference to cover will be welcome. A survey spreadsheet is attached to this item and if you'd like to help shape the…
A parliamentary answer by Mark Prisk, Housing Minisiter, confirms that most of the zero figures for empty homes returned to use in the provisional New Homes Bonus allocations are for authorities where the empties figures are being queried. The parliamentary…
