Isle of Wight council plans to crack down on long-term empty properties won’t solve the housing crisis, members say.
It comes as the authority approves a new strategy which could see legal action taken, where necessary.
The strategy, as reported by News OnTheWight last week, aims to bring empty properties back into use, and help alleviate some of the pressure on the Island’s housing crisis.
It also hopes to reduce the detrimental impact of empty properties on communities, detect fraud or recover unpaid council tax and reduce criminal activity and anti-social behaviour.
The council plans to achieve its aim, of reducing the number of empty properties, by speaking to landlords and taking legal action where necessary.
639 properties empty for more than six months
However, the strategy alone will not solve the Island’s housing crisis as there are not as many empty properties as first thought, Councillor Julie Jones-Evans said at the cabinet meeting last week.
There are 72,359 properties on the Island, the council said, and at the end of March, 639 were empty for more than six months — 0.88 per cent of the overall housing stock.
109 empty for more than two years
The authority says the number of empty properties is relatively consistent and most are sold or re-let within two years, with 109 remaining empty for more than two years.
Recent figures show there are more than 2,400 households on the Island looking for a permanent home.
Jones-Evans: Understanding complexities of empty properties
Cllr Jones-Evans said the strategy helps understand the complexities of empty properties on the Island, and it is now another item in the council’s toolbox to move forward and tackle the housing crisis.
Through the strategy, the council will contact the owners of properties which have been empty for two years or more to clarify what their intentions are and offer assistance if needed.
Taking the legal route
If it does not result in any improvement, the council will look at the range of legal options it has.
The strategy’s main approach will encourage early engagement to prevent the properties becoming empty for a long time.
300% council tax if property been empty for over ten years
After two years, the council can apply a tax premium to empty property owners, so they can pay up to 300 per cent council tax if they have been empty for over ten years.
There is already an empty property strategy within the council but work has been undertaken to review and update it to ensure it is fit for purpose.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: underclassrising.net under CC BY 2.0
