Empty homes back in use
MORE than 200 empty properties were brought back into use in Rhondda Cynon Taff last year – above the council’s target for the year which was 190.
MORE than 200 empty properties were brought back into use in Rhondda Cynon Taff last year.
The figure of 204 was revealed at the council’s finance and performance scrutiny committee on Monday, July 23.
It is above the council’s target for the year, which was 190, and also above the levels achieved in 2016-2017 (138) and 2015-2016 (144).
Councillor Richard Yeo, Labour, highlighted the figure and said he was pleased to see it. He said there was an aim to bring more empty properties back into use, especially in the north of the county borough, and said that people agreed with the council’s policy on this.
A total of £1.5m was spent through the empty property grant in RCT last year.
The report also shows that the percentage of private sector dwellings that had been empty for more than six months at April 1, 2017, that were then returned to occupation during the year, was 5.74%, which is above the target of 5.5%.
There were also 552 housing units and 226 new affordable homes built during the year.
The council has two case studies which show examples of properties which have been brought back into use.
In Tylorstown a block of eight flats was empty for a number of years and falling into a state of severe disrepair.
There were a number of owners and a leaseholder who had failed to take responsibility for repairs, leading to the roof becoming defective and the property empty.
The council served a Section 79 Building Act for ruinous and dilapidated buildings, which required the building to either be demolished or renovated.
The owners jointly complied with the notice, improving the roof, windows and elevations of the property, and subsequently seven of the eight flats have since been occupied.
A property in Pentre had been empty since April 2016.
A houses into homes loan of £25,000 in November 2017 allowed for a complete internal and external renovation, and the property was brought back into use.