Listed Building Alterations In an unexpected move to plug so-called VAT loopholes and inconsistencies, the Chancellor has announced that alterations to listed buildings will no longer be zero-rated for VAT. Previously, any work that required Listed Building…
With Andrew Stunell now a confirmed speaker, a more detailed Event Programme has been published for the National Empty Homes Conference taking place in Birmingham on Tuesday May 29th. Some details are still awaited but the confirmed speakers already offer a…
We're pleased to announce that Andrew Stunell has agreed to speak at our National Empty Homes Conference on 29th May in Birmngham. As the Minister with immediate responsibility for the empty homes agenda, Andrew has clearly moved the government response…
The Empty Homes Network website has been revamped yet again, with some important new features. New bookmark feature There's lots of content on the site and it's growing all the time. The bookmarks feature lets you, er... bookmark particular pieces…
The documentation for the Community Grants Programme has been updated. Interested parties are advised to download the documents afresh. Key updates include the following:a template for the letter of support from local authorities has been providedthe scoring…
The draft programme for the 2012 National Empty HOmes Conference is now available, with most speakers already confirmed. The Conference, to be held in Brimingham on Tuesday, May 29th, features an impressive range of material and speakers from statutory,…
Camilla Sheldon of CLG has now responded to letters from the Empty Homes Network about "revolving funds" and the treatment of HMOs for value-for-money purposes. On the revolving funds, the CLG letter makes clear that the only option would be if the…
The government's £50million programme for Clusters of Empties has now been launched with a very tight deadline for Expressions of Interest of 12pm (which we take to be noon) on Monday 12th March. The Homes and Communities Agency is managing the bidding…
This link takes you to an advertorial that involves a case as complicated as a mediaeval mousetrap. http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/reading/articles/2012/02/12/57131-squatter-scandalFor me, it highlights the importance of writing a Will and of…
We're preparing for our Conference, due to take place in Birmingham during the last two weeks in May. As in previous years, the process started at the December Executive where we discussed possible topics. We've now sent out a questionnaire by…
EHN has written two letters to CLG about aspects of assessing value-for-money in the £100million empty homes programme, requesting clarifications or adjustments to the methodology. The first letter addressed the question of "revolving funds" (i.e.…
On 1st February, Haslingden and Hyndburn MP Graham Jones tabled a number of amendments designed to reshape the proposed Empty Homes Premium into something more coherent and workable than what is to be found in the current Local Government Finance Bill going…
This story about the problems experienced with an empty home in Bradford really says it all about the misery a nuisance empty can bring to neighbours. The Bradford Telegraph and Argus story cites fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour, identify-theft, damp…
The HCA has revealed that £30million has been set aside for the Empty Homes Community Grants Fund, leaving no more thatn £70million for bids to the HCA's Empty Homes pot which are currently being assessed. (£2million has already been allocated during…
