450+ properties across Wrexham empty longer than six months

Over 450 properties across the County Borough have been empty longer than six months, new data from Wrexham Coucil has revealed.

The figures feature in a report due before the Homes and Environment Scrutiny Committee next week, where members will examine the subject of empty residential properties in Wrexham.

In total there are 457 properties across the county that have been empty for six months or longer, therefore being classed as ’empty properties’. Of these 419 have been in the private sector with the remaining 38 in Wrexham Council’s own social housing stock.

However it is noted that the real figures could be slightly higher, with the report explaining: “There are other properties that are not in use but do not meet the six month criteria for
being empty, these include voids in the Council’s stock, which are under repair following a change in tenancy or those properties that are ready to let.”

With regards to privately owned properties, a number have been brought back into use due to the council using “direct intervention by working with the home owners or by using legislation in place to force the owners to take steps to address issues with their properties”.

There is some data given for empty properties now back in use, however there is no split in terms of which were due to council help.

2012/13 – 20 out of 206
2013/14 – 29 out of 286
2014/15 – 43 out of 250
2015/16 – 34 out of 267
2016/17 – 35 out of 419

There is a note that reads: “The majority of properties in the figures above were brought back into use through providing advice to home owners and signposting to other services and did not require direct financial or practical assistance.”

Further detail on council owned houses is also given, with the below notes based on “2.62% of 11,201” empty council properties. This figure is calculated by us to be 293 empty council properties as of 4th September.

The executive summary of the report states there are 38 in the council’s social housing stock empty ‘currently’ – so we are assuming the difference of 255 properties – are under the six month time period.

Detail of the 38 properties are provided below:

– 3 properties have been empty and are ready to let
– 11 properties are void due to refurbishment to bring them up to Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS)) or require major works
– 22 properties to be demolished in Plas Madoc
– 2 properties are classified as ‘Management Voids’ which require major structural work.

Various schemes to bring empty properties back into use are also detailed in the report, which states: “The Council has adopted a number of initiatives to bring long term empty properties
back into use across the County Borough, and this has positively affected 172 properties since 2012/13.

“As a social landlord, the Council has an active role in ensuring that the number of long term voids is kept to a minimum in order to respond to the demand for housing across the County Borough.

“In order to bring privately owned empty properties back into use, both as affordable and open market housing, the main initiative takes the form of an interest free loan scheme funded through the Welsh Government’s ‘Houses into Homes’ and ‘Vibrant and Viable Places’ programmes.

“Advice and assistance is also provided on a range of issues including possible eligibility for lower rate of VAT for works carried out to enable properties to be brought back into use, expected standards, licensing conditions for private rented accommodation and signposting for letting and managing properties through the Council’s Local Lettings Agency.”

Councillors are also being provided with a stats update on Right To Buy. The report says over the past five years, Council’s housing stock has reduced by 118 properties as a result of tenants exercising their right to buy, adding that more people apply to buy than actual sales.

For 2016/17 there were 74 applications but just 21 property sales under the Right to Buy Scheme.

In June 2016 Wrexham.com reported that the Welsh Government had unveiled plans to abolish the scheme in Wales to ensure “social housing is available to those who need it, and who are unable to access accommodation through home ownership or the private rented sector”.

Councillors are being asked to note the work undertaken so far, and “consider the means available to the Council to reduce the number of empty homes and poor quality properties and recommend the approach to be included within the new Local Housing Strategy 2018-23 and support continuation of the current arrangements.”

The report will be considered by the Homes and Environment Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, 8th November at 2.00 pm – we do not expect the meeting to be webcast.