Monday 4 March sees the start of National Empty Homes Week 2024. Since Bedford Borough Council’s Accelerated Empty Homes Programme began in 2014, the number of homes empty in the borough for over five years has decreased by 17.5 % at a time when Census data shows the number of dwellings increased by 10,909 between 2011 and 2021.
Speaking in support of the Empty Homes Programme, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Regulatory Services and Housing, Cllr Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant said “This is very encouraging. It shows the work the Council has done has had a significant impact in bringing empty properties back into use and that dwellings which may previously have been unsightly or attracted anti-social behaviour are available for people to live in.
"Empty property isn’t just an asset for the owner, it could also be a home for somebody else. If you have an empty property or know some one who does please consider bringing it back into use, especially when we are so short of homes."
Cllr Martin-Moran-Bryant continued, “Our most recent successes include working with a property owner to secure the sale of their flat back to a Registered Provider and the re-occupation of a two-bedroom property after compulsory purchase action was instigated. The properties had been recorded as unoccupied for 13 and eight years respectively.”
Where property owners will not work with the Council, it is able to consider commencing compulsory purchase proceedings. This is only used as a last resort, where there is no expectation that the property will come back into use otherwise, and where the legal requirements for compulsory purchase have been met.
The Council continues to charge a Council Tax Premium on long-term empty properties to encourage owners to bring dwellings back into use.