Council House lets/moves

[ElephantOfRisk]

Does anyone know if these are/have been working as normal since last December?

Just trying to establish if it would be usual for a nice 4 bed to be sitting empty since December.

Yes, should be working as normal but times for re-letting properties are taking longer, mostly due to restricted working practices for the trades involved. Check the landlords website to see if any issues with them locally though. Also, are you sure it’s council property?

Thanks. Yes it's definitely council owned. It's a formerly private house on a nice private estate but owners got into financial difficulty and had roof repairs they couldn't afford and sold it to the council via some scheme and they continued to live in it and paid rent. They inherited a fair bit of money and bought another private house elsewhere and moved out.

There has been a bit of to-ing and fro-ing of council vans every so often but no sign of a tenant.

In one way i'm happy as it's quieter in the street and in the other i'm wondering how much rent and council tax they are missing out on. I keep checking planning in case they are intending to do work on it/split it into smaller properties but nothing to see. I wasn't sure if covid had stopped any movement. I'd wondered if they'd let it on the private market as they'd get more rent that way as I can imagine it might be a bit steep for a lot of people on the council list.

I'll just have to keep waiting and see what happens. Now I've done this thread then no doubt the moving in van will be outside it tomorrow!

Council House near me became vacant in December. They've intermittently worked on it to bring it up to a letting standard and as far as I know it's been let to someone but as yet it's not lived in. The person it's been allocated to I cam only assume has a property to live in as it's been 8 months now.

Next time you see a works van go and ask. Is this one being done ready to let or selling ?

Depending on the tradesperson they might be loose with their tongue.

Rent loss through properties being empty is a huge focus for councils so they will be trying to minimise that where possible.
The scheme was likely Mortgage to Rent.

Other than a bit of sprucing up, i can't imagine that much was required. It's an older new build and the former owners/tenants are just normal folk. I've been in the house but not for many years and it was perfectly well cared for. The grass is cut (at the front anyway) and I think they've been going in to get meter readings etc. I might not see anyone for weeks (and might not see them at all as not usually there for very long). It's not really works vans, just council branded vans.

Just seems odd to leave a house empty for 8 months regardless of whether they might just sell it. They'd be able to buy two or three houses with the money they'd get and properties are selling within days.

I'm sure the mystery will resolve itself eventually!