*Stats independent & directly measured by Google, via the Analytics Live API. , Flintshire Council paid approximately 2.3m to bring its vacant social houses back to an appropriate standard for new tenants in the last 12 months. Launched in 2014, Deeside.com is an independent online news and information website. Minimum loan of 500. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. Z, Copyright 2023 Clackmannanshire Council 'Void Management Plan' discussed by Flintshire councillors Committee chair Cllr Helen Brown said: "We need to protect the investment we put in. The latest analysis of properties shows a total of 772 properties are currently subject to the 50% premium charge, consisting of 605 long term empty properties and 167 second homes. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to This strategy is available at the bottom of this . The Welsh Government has launched a new Loan scheme offering financial support to owners of private properties. Housing Grants & Loans - Flintshire M This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Fears over burial space capacity at two Flintshire cemeteries discussed by council, Network Rail confirms when noisy engineering works on the line in Deeside will end. The target timescales for the refurbishment of a property classified as a minor void is 20 working days and that figure is45 working days for a major void. Furthermore, the report also urges councillors to reduce the age of eligibility for sheltered housing from 60 to 55, in line with local housing associations. Among the warden bungalows which have remained empty is a three bedroom bungalow at Lixwm near Holywell, which has been empty for at least six years. 4 bedroom detached house to rent Gardd Eithin, Northop Hall, Flintshire, CH7. More than 2m spent on repairing empty council houses in Flintshire We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Flintshires Empty Homes Flintshire County Council. , It comes after neighbouring Wrexham Council admitted earlier this month that the external contractors it uses are struggling to keep up with the rate of repairs needed. FOIA Request - Wales The council said if plans were approved it could settle debts to the council, such as council tax arrears, by putting vacant or run-down properties up for auction. Flintshire Council's Cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss a revenue budget monitoring report for 2022/23. 2. Is climate change killing Australian wine? The Welsh Government has launched a new Home Improvement Loan scheme offering financial support to owners of private properties. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. the use of cookies. , By Liam Randall Local Democracy Reporter. FLINTSHIRE Council chiefs have denied a councillors' claims that the coronavirus pandemic is being used as an excuse for the authority not turning around empty properties quickly enough. In addition to setting out the projected positions and projections for various council departments, the report also sets out a number of risks which are being 'tracked.'. Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail. New BBC Wales HQ to be built on Cardiff bus station, Housing fund puts power back in tenants' hands, Regeneration of Newcastle's Co-op building begins. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. Q London Borough of Lambeth: A review of sheltered housing in Flintshire is set to be carried out because of an 'excessive' amount of empty properties. Max: 25,000 per unit of accommodation (150,000 per applicant maximum). F We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Empty flats could also be used to cut council spending on delayed transfer from care or hospital for people not yet ready to return to their own homes. Empty/derelict properties in Flintshire - a Freedom of Information We are looking for a motivated planner to join our team to help us make a positive difference to Waless environment ", Sean O'Donnell replied by saying:"This is something that we really want to work hard on over the next few months. Comments have been closed on this article. An "excessive" number of empty sheltered homes is costing a council nearly a quarter of a million pounds a year in lost rent, officers say. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Analysis showed "a series of issues where some of the schemes appear unpopular", resulting in a high turnover and properties left empty. Dear Flintshire County Council, I am a local property developer (Hawarden based) using local tradesmen to renovate property in the area. Either staged repayments (monthly, quarterly or yearly) or full repayment at the end of the HIL term or on sale of the property if earlier. An example would be, works to remedy serious disrepair, provide modern kitchen and bathroom facilities, improve heating systems and insulation, and to remove any serious hazards which could affect the well-being of the occupier, such as dampness, dangerous stairs or electrical wiring. Council holds share of property to be repaid on sale or transfer within 2-3 years. Please note that the loan is discretionary and an offer of a loan cannot be guaranteed until the applicant has received formal notice of approval. Cabinet member for housing, councillor Helen Brown, said: "It is no longer acceptable for properties to remain empty when the need for housing is increasing. A Flintshire County Council retains tenancy rights for the duration of the agreement. Executive member for housing management, Coun Helen Yale, said the situation was one which had existed before she came into office, but now 15 of the 16 had been rented out and Lixwm was under consideration. Figures released by Wrexham Council . Meanwhile Flintshire council will get 750,000 from the Welsh Government to redevelop old and empty properties that are difficult to bring back into use. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Be warned, it can be a lengthy and difficult process and there are many complicated reasons why a home might be empty. The Voids Action Plan was discussed during theCommunity andHousing Overview andScrutiny Committee meeting held on Wednesday, March 8. Empty properties. These applicants are not subject to the conditions relating to the management of the property by a social lettings agency, FCC retaining tenancy rights and the requirement to become an accredited landlord. 2014, *Stats independent & directly measured by Google, via the Analytics Live API. the use of cookies. Repayment terms to be sorted by administrator on a case-by-case basis as part of affordability checks, Owners of sub-standard residential properties e.g. , Get notified about news from across North Wales, Long delays on A55 in Flintshire following a collision, Ewloe glamping pods plan refused due concerns over impact on open countryside, 24 hour support and advice helpline now available to individuals with autism and neurodivergence, Hospice appeal for volunteers at the ESSAR Chester Half Marathon, Youngsters commend north Wales health board for its commitment to improving patient experience, Cost of Living Crisis: Home appliance costs surge for UK families, Transport watchdog demands urgent action from Transport for Wales to improve rail service reliability, NEWSAR: Phone Find technology helps locate person in need of help in Deeside countryside. Read about our approach to external linking. Empty properties or 'voids' happen when a tenant leaves one of the council's owned housing units. Cllr Attridge said: The people being let down are the people we represent, the tenants.. This grant is to help owners bring empty properties back in to use within the Councils strategic Renewal Area. Your council will then prioritise applications based on who needs a home most urgently. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's L These include empty homes: This has a number of cross cutting service links through Housing Management, fromthe refurbishment of the void to prepare it for reoccupation and the re-letting of the property to those on the General Housing Register. , The total value for the framework period is an estimated 11,500,000. Sheltered housing in remote areas suffered from limited access to shops, especially with the closure of local convenience stores, the report said, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Please report any comments that break our rules. Getting a council home - Citizens Advice Council holds share of property to be repaid on sale or transfer. This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. Max: 35,000 per unit of accommodation (150,000 per applicant maximum). 01244 725688. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. "This is due to a combination of more new placements and fewer households moving on. Flintshire has approximately 500 long term empty properties; the Empty Property Grant is a loan to help owners bring empty properties back in to use. One of these, headed 'homelessness', explains there is a risk due to the cessation of funding from the Welsh Government COVID-19 hardship fund at the end of 2021/22. Editors' Code of Practice. The council said if plans were approved it could settle debts to the council, such as council tax arrears, by putting vacant or run-down properties up for auction. Any properties where tenants refuse access needs to be reported to housing management.". Chief housing officer Neal Cockerton said in a report the 2,600 sheltered accommodation properties accounted for just over a third of Flintshire's housing stock. Review of sheltered housing set to be launched as some properties lie The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. The report will be discussed by members of the council's community, housing and assets scrutiny committee at a virtual meeting on Wednesday (November 4, 2020). Property & houses for sale in Flintshire Create alert Grid view Map view Sort: Most recent 259,995 3 bedroom semi-detached house for sale Plot 26, The Epsom at Summers Bridge, Welsh Road, Deeside CH5 Nearest station 1.2mi. At a housing subcommittee meeting, Cllr Eric Owen said: If we could be taking rents of 50 a week it would work out at a loss of 500,000 for the year so far.. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Committee chairman Cllr Ron Hampson said: This is the biggest problem weve got. Empty Homes - Flintshire Work to turn the former Co-operative store in Newcastle into shops, leisure facilities and a hotel in a 17m redevelopment have begun. FLINTSHIRE councillors have discussed what the next steps are for empty houses throughout the county - after a two year struggle due to various complications. They might also call it 'social housing'. A review by Flintshire County Council showed some schemes were not popular. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. For owners of 6 months plus, vacant residential properties to bring up to lettable standard. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? I We use cookies to improve your experience. This is in the form of an interest free loan to cover works which bring the property up to the Decent Homes Standard. We use cookies on your computer or mobile device to help make this website better. C Flintshire has approximately 500 long term empty properties; the Empty Property Grant is a loan to help owners bring empty properties back in to use. , The authority launched a drive to try and improve the quality of accommodation it lets out, but said empty properties had gone up to 281 as they failed to keep pace. Interested applicants should complete an Expression of Interest Form - please download the form below. All monies will be paid to you on provision of a Contractor(s) invoice on completion of the works. Buying an empty home can seem like a daunting and painstaking prospect for some people, although can provide excellent bargains, particularly for those who are looking for properties to renovate themselves. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. J There are currently around 1300 such properties in Flintshire and the Council has published a strategy to encourage owners of empty property to bring them back into use. The only way the property owner could prevent a sale would be to repay the debt, but the council said the policy would only be used as a last resort after all other avenues had failed. , Currently up to 500 of its 7,200 rental properties become available each year, and the authority is now preparing to put new guidelines in placefor how it selects builders to carry out the improvement works. The concern has been raised after the number of households across Flintshire which needed temporary accommodation more than doubled over three months. If you are concerned that a property is empty in your area report it at emptyhomes@shelter.org.uk or phone the Empty Homes Advice Service on 0344 515 1941. However, there are many reasons why properties become vacant long term and the Council wants to help owners to bring these homes back into use. Sheltered housing in remote areas suffered from limited access to shops, especially with the closure of local convenience stores, the report said, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The proposal aims to tackle the 469 homes currently empty in the Welsh county. We have looked at releasing them back into general need but because of where they are and their allocation, we have to be careful. Read about our approach to external linking. , The council experiences 400-500 void properties per year and, overall, the cost of bringing these back into a lettable standard equates to approximately 2,300,000 per year. The fund, made available to Councils in Wales, enables the Council to provide short to medium term loans to owners of sub-standard properties who pass affordability criteria and who are restricted by other sources of finance. budget, as well as approving a transfer of 200,000 from a contingency reserve to replenish the authority's Winter Maintenance Reserve. , Chief officer for housing and assets, Neal Cockerton, said the agreed payment rates are shortly due to lapse and need renewing. Applying for a Council Tax discount or reduction. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Wales-wide reports. Challenges faced by the council included the availability of skilled resources, raw materials and linked price increases, all of which impacts negatively on void delivery and turnaround times. People are desperate for houses and they can see these properties boarded up for weeks.. We use cookies to improve your experience. Furthermore, the report also urges councillors to reduce the age of eligibility for sheltered housing from 60 to 55, in line with local housing associations. Read about our approach to external linking. Flintshire has approximately 500 long term empty properties; the Empty Property Grant is a loan to help owners bring empty properties back in to use. contact the editor here. The borough council last night confirmed a total 16 former warden properties have been empty, some for several years, while the authority considered its sheltered housing policy. PO5: 48,747 pa (including London Weighting) rising in annual increments to 51,783 pa: London Borough of Lambeth: Principal Planning Officer (Development Management) (672), London Borough of Lambeth: Senior Planning Officer (Development Management)(671), Natural Resources Wales: Specialist Planning Advisor, Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. Empty sheltered housing in Flintshire 'costing 250k in lost rent'