Empty Houses

[sunny-dave]

There is currently a lot of heat (and not much light) being generated on another thread about the possibility of using empty houses as temporary accommodation for victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.

A link :

http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/james-obrien/james-obrien-use-empty-homes-grenfell-tower/

But I'd like to propose a more wide ranging solution to the problem of people deliberately leaving property empty - using it as a "property bank" asset - not just in London, but throughout the UK.

How about an escalating level of Council Tax on empty housing property - 50% for six months (to allow for 'churn' of tenants) and 100% for the next six months - but then 200%/300%/400%/500% etc as each six months passes - with the surcharged revenue being ring-fenced to improve/provide other housing in the same Council area.

Houses are meant to be Homes - not assets to be traded like stocks and shares by rich Russians and Saudis.

[sunny-dave]

I have avoided any suggestion of seizing assets or decanting tenants into empty houses against the will of the owners that sticks in my craw and is probably completely impractical in any country that I'd want to live in.

My suggestion is more simple - make it too costly to leave property empty and then it will re-appear onto the sale/rental market

[sunny-dave]

With the greatest respect, naomi, you are talking cobblers.

There are (approximately) ten times as many empty houses as there are homeless families - leaving another 90% to be used for people who are not technically homeless, but are in inadequate or unsafe accommodation.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ampp3d/housing-crisis-10-empty-homes-5008151

[naomi24]

I can't see many - no any - of the people displaced by the fire, being in a position to rent or buy the properties Mr Corbyn is talking about. Those who do have the funds to buy or rent big houses in Kensington can afford to live practically anywhere.

[naomi24]

sunny-dave, //With the greatest respect, naomi, you are talking cobblers. //

Well, I would be, wouldn't I. I disagree with you.

[youngmafbog]

I think the problem is wider than Kensington and not really related to the fire, apart from the Marxists comments from Corbyn.

We have a housing shortage, to have people buying property and then leaving it empty is not on. Housing is a basic necessity.

[sunny-dave]

No - it's not about agreeing - it's about a cold hard fact.

You say there is a housing shortage which can't be addressed by using 'empty homes' - I've shown you figures (and there is a link to the underlying research in the article) which says that you are wrong.

[naomi24]

sunny-dave, I didn’t say it can’t be addressed by using empty homes - I said it shouldn’t be addressed by using other people’s property.

[EDDIE51]

Kensington alone has over 1200 houses that have been left intentionally empty for over 2 years. The link was on the BBC yesterday.
The idea is that they are used as temporary housing while the tower blocks are being demolished and rebuilt to safe standards. Once the emergency is over the houses will be returned to the owners and compensation paid. This issue seems to have taken off with a life of it's own!
Corbyn was referring to the powers that councils still have to requisition empty housing in an emergency. These powers still exist but have not been used since WW2 !

[naomi24]

Eddie, //The idea is that they are used as temporary housing while the tower blocks are being demolished and rebuilt to safe standards. Once the emergency is over the houses will be returned to the owners and compensation paid. //

That's not what Corbyn said, but never mind. Do you have a link?

[naomi24]

Eddie, reality check.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40303142

[mushroom25]

//Corbyn was referring to the powers that councils still have to requisition empty housing in an emergency. These powers still exist but have not been used since WW2 ! //

the emergency powers act 1939 was repealed in 1959, and its provisions ceased legal effect in 1964. there is currently no legal power of appropriation, emergency or otherwise.