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Original poster

Empty property - did you know....

69 replies

Pixiefish · 01/07/2006 22:59

I don't know if this applied to other parts of the UK but if you live in Wales the council can force you to make an empty property habitable or they can take it off you. Absolutely flabbergasted- have had a letter off the council today regarding an empty flat that we have- it's not causing a nuiscance to anyone and is behind another property that we own.

I really can't believe it> Surely its up to us if we want to keep a property empty. Apparently not- its new govt legislation. We've had the letter today- unless we rent the flat out or use it or sell it then the council haev the right to take possession and do what they want with it...

Am totally astounded.

OP posts:

serenity · 02/07/2006 12:35

But Pixiefish, as it's already been pointed out, it doesn't apply to you. You are doing something with the flat, so all you have to do is tell them, they aren't psychic - how do they know who are nice people doing favours, and who's just sitting on property for the sake of it.

I can understand why you are upset on a personal level, but I just can't understand why so many people see it as a Bad Thing on the larger scale.

Oh, and I think that it's probably the council that owes you back rent rather than the tenants, as I expect they were on Housing Benefit, and I'm sorry that they trashed your flat but I think you'll find that private tenants can be just as bad, skip out without paying rent or even rip up your floorboards to turn your upstairs into a Hydroponics Garden to grow beansprouts for their restaurant (SILs house that she's renting out whilst she's living overseas) And yes, I am over sensitive about this, so sorry.

jamsambam · 02/07/2006 12:39

it is perfectly legal, there is legislation to say that if a council IS MADE AWARE of an empty property they can do some thing about it, but they do have to all they can to assist the current owner, ie grants/funding/sourcing help etc..they cant just take it, ther eis a legal process. BUT in wale sthis has come about because of the desperate lack of housing and the amount of holiday homes/second homea and poor condition homes. if you tell the local council what you are doing/plan to do with an empty property, they will understand, as with all council issues, you have to talk to them before they will do anything.
good luck !!

edam · 02/07/2006 12:40

Hydroponics for bean sprouts?! Tell me you are being witty and you didn't really fall for that!

Gobbledigook · 02/07/2006 12:41

PMSl!

serenity · 02/07/2006 12:46

No it really was beansprouts - I could have understood weed. Someone rang my SIL to tell her her floorboards were under a tarp in the front garden. Her FIL made the mistake of ringing them first to find out what was going on, and my the time they got someone down there they'd down a flit, leaving a very trashed house and a large crop of actual beansprouts. Life is very weird sometimes

edam · 02/07/2006 17:02

Blimey, that is extraordinary.

bran · 02/07/2006 17:45

There's an article about this in the Sunday Times today.

expatinscotland · 02/07/2006 18:44

pixie
why not sell the flat then? i mean, it needs a new roof and that will come up on the survey, but you can deduct that from the asking price or set the asking price to reflect that?

as for the other couple, if they're that skint they can make up the difference in housing benefit.

it does become everybody's biz if there place is in disrepair, but yours isn't.

Original poster

Pixiefish · 02/07/2006 19:49

the flat is at the back of the house. Why should we sell it anyway. It's ours andd we'll repair the roof as and when we can afford to do it. It just pisses me off- it's not affecting anyone else and yet the local council are interfering- not really asking for suggestions - i'm just pointing out what can happen if you keep a property empty

OP posts:

Mistymoo · 02/07/2006 20:14

This happened to us.
We lived in gouse A and bought house B. We stayedin house a while we gutted and decorated house B. Got a letter from Council backsides sayingwe had to move ni within 30 days or else.

Was going to let DH sleep there one night, but fortunately we got it sorted without too much trouble. The state of some folkjs houses and garden with scrap cars and washing machines lying around made me wonder how they could get on to us.
Cheeky beggars

SoupDragon · 02/07/2006 20:49

They don't know it doesn't affect anyone else!! They've written a standard letter to every owner of an empty property, being renovated or rat infested or anywhere in between, saying the same thing. Are they meant to waste time and money peering in through every empty window seeing what's going on? No. All you have to do it write saying the property is being renovated. End of story.

The councils are under a lot of pressure to get empty housing back into use. That's all. They're not trying to steal your property.

WellKnownMemorablePeachyClair · 02/07/2006 20:50

I'm on the socialist side here as ever. I don't think people like Pixiefish are the problem, its the peole that do just leave houses falling down with no plans whatsoever. Elderly people sometimes, or people co-habiting. These are properties that could be sold. I also have issues with second homes, as there are loads round here and you can see villages failing because they are often empty, the kids schools close and shops go too. The locals then end up priced out of the market and the whole thing becomes a cycle as areas become known and more people move in part time.

Another one here whoc an't afford to buy, mind you. Not round here or back where we came from (Somerset) anyway.

I DO think if its attached to a property you own (eg a basement flat) then that should be that, but if all it takes is a letter?

(and you did get a vote in the MP elections I presume, same as us all)

SoupDragon · 02/07/2006 20:51

Expat, there's a house just round the corner from me. It has broken windows, it's full of junk and has 2 untaxed cars on the drive. This is leafy middleclass suburbia and houses round here go very quicky for around £300k. WTF are the owners doing? I would love to take it off their hands, do it up and sell it on as a family home.

expatinscotland · 02/07/2006 20:57

'Expat, there's a house just round the corner from me. It has broken windows, it's full of junk and has 2 untaxed cars on the drive.'

I hear ya, Soupy! These flats were all HUGE, w/lovely features, and a garden for the kids.

I'd have given just about anything for a crack at one of those, but somebody just lets 'em go to rack and ruin. What a waste!

Original poster

Pixiefish · 02/07/2006 21:01

Peachy- yes I voted and unfortunately the party I voted for has too small a minority to do anything in London

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 02/07/2006 21:04

Did look up the details on the land registry site - the property has 2 mortgages on it so someone has an interest in it, it's not like the owner died and the house went into limbo. Madness, utter madness.

WellKnownMemorablePeachyClair · 03/07/2006 09:35

That's the nature of a democracy, Pixie fish. The iones I voted for didn't get in either, but I got my say.

expatinscotland · 03/07/2006 09:36

as my father always says, 'if you didn't vote, you can't complain!'

Original poster

Pixiefish · 03/07/2006 19:47

I did vote expat

OP posts:

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