The number of long-term empty homes in North East Lincolnshire ticked up in late summer 2024, despite a number of properties tied up in working out inheritances being brought back into use.
It comes as a group of MPs, peers and housing campaign groups, have called for increased council powers to intervene sooner with empty homes. Among those calling for this is Doncaster East and Isle of Axholme MP Lee Pitcher.
A letter was sent by more than 30 MPs and peers to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, calling for greater flexibility to use affordable homes cash to bring empty homes to use as such. Other measures called for include a national empty homes strategy as part of the Government’s broader housing strategy due next year, and changes to Empty Homes Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs).
EDMOs enable councils to seize private properties empty for over two years to bring back into use, provided its empty nature has been causing a nuisance. The likes of Mr Pitcher and homeless charity Crisis want the time limit reduced back to six months, as it was before 2012, and to consider removing the nuisance requirement.
There were 2,279 long-term empty homes in North East Lincolnshire at the end of September, an increase of 19 compared to the previous quarter. This is despite “a large increase in the number of probate properties brought back into use” a regeneration partnership report by the council’s delivery partner Equans says.
The report says the change with probate properties – where there are complications working out who inherits – could be due to its empty homes officer “sending out letters specifically targeting probate properties”. Nine properties were brought back into use by Equans in July to September, making it 19 by then for the year. It was on course to hit it and the council’s target of returning 40 empty homes back into use in the borough in 2024.
Doncaster East and Isle of Axholme MP Lee Pitcher, pictured, signed a letter this month calling for more council powers to tackle empty homes
(Image: Official UK Parliament Portrait)
Four S215 notices to clean up the land within property boundaries that are in poor condition were issued in the July to September period by Equans on behalf of the council. An emergency board up of an empty property was also carried out for a property vandalised and with damaged water pipes. They also worked closed with professional genealogists to work out inheritances of some homes.
A North East Lincolnshire Council spokesperson was contacted to ask if the local authority supported calls for greater powers to intervene with empty homes. “We would not want to comment on anything in the parliamentary process.
“However, we can take this opportunity to highlight the work that North East Lincolnshire Council and its partners are taking to bring empty homes back into use across the borough. One example is our support of East Marsh United, (EMU) in purchasing empty homes on the estate. These are now under the stewardship of EMU, which runs an ethical landlord scheme aiming to provide housing that is affordable and of good quality.
“As has been reported, the work towards selective licensing and other action areas in some of our more challenging areas with regards to empty homes, is also a way building relationships with landlords to ensure homes are of a good standard – meaning they are less likely to be vacated.” Its upcoming Council Plan, setting out local authority policy priorities in future years, also puts improving the quality of homes and reducing empty properties as a priority, as well as looking at reasons why homes become empty originally.
The proposed area of East Marsh to have ‘selective licensing’ – compulsory tougher rules to tackle rogue landlords
(Image: North East Lincolnshire Council)
“It may, for example, be the case that some residents may need support – be it financial or with their mental wellbeing – to remain in a home. If we can help to prevent eviction or people having to leave homes, then that will also reduce the empty homes stock across the borough.
The spokesperson also shared a message for anyone who needs support to prevent loss of their home. “The Household Support Fund is a scheme to help the most vulnerable households with the cost of bills and essentials. Households can receive a one-off payment of up to £250. We work with 6 referral partners in North East Lincolnshire who support the scheme by completing application forms and providing signposting. For more details please visit Household Support Fund | NELC. ”