Housing action 'first' for Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire Council believes it may be the first council in Wales to use a pioneering legal order to bring an empty private home back into use.
The council has taken over No.2 Station Road, Llangennech, a three-bedroom semi which has been left empty and in state of disrepair for almost 15 years.
The property – which has attracted vandalism, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping over the years – has become the subject of the authority’s first Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO), which in the absence of the owner’s cooperation has led to the service of a rarely used Final Empty Dwelling Management Order (FEDMO).
Only three EDMOs have been granted in Wales, with only 50 in the UK as a whole. An FEDMO is the final stage in the process and has been rarely used in the UK.
The order enables local authorities to take over management of empty properties for up to seven years.
Robin Staines, Head of Housing, said: “Carmarthenshire County Council is now improving the property, which will be rented to a family though the in-house Social Lettings Agency. The rent received will be used to repay the money spent by the authority for the renovation and improvement of the property to a rentable standard.”
He added: “We are determined to work with owners to reduce the number of empty homes in the county.”
The use of an EDMO is just one option available to the authority to secure the improvement and reoccupation of private homes which have been left empty and in a state of disrepair.
The council has also recently enforced the sale of several empty homes in the county, and has then disposed of them at local property auctions, allowing the authority to claim back the debts incurred.
Executive Board Member for housing, Cllr Hugh Evans, said: “Our officers will always try to work with owners to improve their properties and provide valuable additional housing, but it is an unfortunate fact that some people just do not wish to engage with us. In this respect we are well placed - we have now successfully used the full range of enforcement options, including Compulsory Purchase.”
The council’s blueprint for tackling the issue of long-term empty homes is set out in its Empty Property Action Plan, available to view online at www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Workmen erect safety fencing and hoarding at No.2 Station Road, Llangennech, which has lain empty for almost 15 years.
The council has taken over No.2 Station Road, Llangennech, a three-bedroom semi which has been left empty and in state of disrepair for almost 15 years.
The property – which has attracted vandalism, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping over the years – has become the subject of the authority’s first Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO), which in the absence of the owner’s cooperation has led to the service of a rarely used Final Empty Dwelling Management Order (FEDMO).
Only three EDMOs have been granted in Wales, with only 50 in the UK as a whole. An FEDMO is the final stage in the process and has been rarely used in the UK.
The order enables local authorities to take over management of empty properties for up to seven years.
Robin Staines, Head of Housing, said: “Carmarthenshire County Council is now improving the property, which will be rented to a family though the in-house Social Lettings Agency. The rent received will be used to repay the money spent by the authority for the renovation and improvement of the property to a rentable standard.”
He added: “We are determined to work with owners to reduce the number of empty homes in the county.”
The use of an EDMO is just one option available to the authority to secure the improvement and reoccupation of private homes which have been left empty and in a state of disrepair.
The council has also recently enforced the sale of several empty homes in the county, and has then disposed of them at local property auctions, allowing the authority to claim back the debts incurred.
Executive Board Member for housing, Cllr Hugh Evans, said: “Our officers will always try to work with owners to improve their properties and provide valuable additional housing, but it is an unfortunate fact that some people just do not wish to engage with us. In this respect we are well placed - we have now successfully used the full range of enforcement options, including Compulsory Purchase.”
The council’s blueprint for tackling the issue of long-term empty homes is set out in its Empty Property Action Plan, available to view online at www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Workmen erect safety fencing and hoarding at No.2 Station Road, Llangennech, which has lain empty for almost 15 years.
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