Empty homes fund promotion continues
Local authority hopes to bolster area’s rental sector
Financial support designed to help bring empty properties back into use has failed to see a single successful application.
Perth and Kinross Council started offering interest-free loans as an incentive to property owners in a bid to transform buildings for the rental market in late 2015.
Now nearly 18 months later council chiefs have admitted they are still awaiting the first successful applicant for support of up to £15,000.
But, despite the apparent setback, councillors last week agreed to up the loan sums available to £20,000.
The full council meeting on Wednesday last week saw elected members rubberstamp a bid to raise the limit of Empty Homes Loans from £15,000 to £20,000.
After hearing that no one had benefited from the loans and with one application still being considered - Cllr Barbara Vaughan quizzed officials on the uptake rate.
The Conservative councillor asked if people were aware of the loans.
John Symon, the council’s head of finance, replied: “The lack of applications is reflective of the strict conditions [of the loan]. Broadly speaking, property has to be available for rent and the scheme is not attractive to many empty property owners, despite being interest-free.”
Director of Environment Barbara Renton, who is responsible for approving the loans, added: “The council will be aware of the work done in relation to empty homes.
“We will continue to promote the Empty Homes Fund, but it is not particularly attractive to those who could apply, so we will work hard to make this available.”
PKC’s cash pot emerged from an interest-free Scottish Government loan.
The empty homes loans terms were agreed in the autumn of 2015 and then publicised in December that year. Vaughan Cllr Barbara