Isle of Wight Council plans to crack down on long-term empty properties won’t solve the housing crisis, members say.
It comes as the authority approves a new strategy which could see legal action taken, where necessary. The strategy aims to bring empty properties back into use and help alleviate some of the pressure on the Island’s housing crisis.
It also hopes to reduce the detrimental impact of empty properties on communities, detect fraud or recover unpaid council tax and reduce criminal activity and anti-social behaviour. The Council plans to achieve its aim, of reducing the number of empty properties, by speaking to landlords and taking legal action where necessary.
However, the strategy alone will not solve the Island’s housing crisis as there are not as many empty properties as 1st thought, Councillor Julie Jones-Evans said at the cabinet meeting last week.
There are 72,359 properties on the Island, the Council said, and at the end of March, 639 were empty for more than 6 months — 0.88% of the overall housing stock.
The authority says the number of empty properties is relatively consistent and most are sold or re-let within 2 years, with 109 remaining empty for more than 2 years.
Recent figures show there are more than 2,400 households on the Island looking for a permanent home.
Cllr Jones-Evans said the strategy helps understand the complexities of empty properties on the Island, and it is now another item in the council’s toolbox to move forward and tackle the housing crisis.
Through the strategy, the Council will contact the owners of properties which have been empty for 2 years or more to clarify what their intentions are and offer assistance if needed. If it does not result in any improvement, the Council will look at the range of legal options it has.
The strategy’s main approach will encourage early engagement to prevent the properties becoming empty for a long time. After 2 years, the Council can apply a tax premium to empty property owners, so they can pay up to 300% council tax if they have been empty for over 10 years.
There is already an empty property strategy within the Council but work has been undertaken to review and update it to ensure it is fit for purpose.
I remember reading a load of Tosh from the Council years ago
if a building looks a dump, like the one when you come out of
Ryde St John’s Road, Ryde Station (The old Gym)
Years later it still looks a dump, what must tourists think when they go by
on coaches.
The Council are full of talk NO Action. I am certain the Council are run by
Numpties
Many parts of the Island have empty properties that look like they were
blitzed overnight and left unrepaired.
Whatever happened about the Old Hotel in George Street, Ryde
(Still a work in progress)
Sandown is twinned with Beirut.
ON THE ISLAND WE PAY EXTORTIONATE COUNCIL TAXES COMPARED TO THE MAINLAND
AND MUCH OF THE ISLAND IS A DUMP!!
Talking about empty properties
What about Towing away vehicles parked on Roads with NO MOT
Start by removing the piece of junk that’s been parked along Great Preston Road Ryde
for 5 months.
This vehicle is taking up th3 space of someone who pays to be on the Road
NO LAW AND ORDER ON ISLAND ROADS
Absolutely. The UK’s council’s have legislation in place and the powers to remove vehicles and compulsory purchase buildings, but they are too thick to know and follow the procedure.. Leave a car too long in London and a flat bed lorry comes, picks it up and takes it to the pound! I’ve had it done to me!! Cost £150 20 yrs ago!!
The van is parked outside 115 Great Preston Rd,
It is driven on a regular basis.
IW Council, Ryde District Steward and Island Roads are
aware of this and have chosen to do nothing about it.
Personally I wouldn’t mind, but its a nuiscance when trying to park
outside the Council Houses along Great Preston Rd.
Finally the IOW Council aim to solve the housing crisis for Island families by using existing housing stock – so with yesterday’s report that they are buying 50 properties and today’s that they are pursuing empty properties – does this mean they will start saying ‘no’ to large developments of unaffordable houses on greenfield sites?
Also, how is the IOW Council owned housing company progressing as reported February 2022
“The Island’s urgent housing crisis sets the agenda for the capital programme with the council proposing to allocate £29million to deliver genuinely affordable homes, at cost to the taxpayer. Nearly £2.5million will be allocated to providing the start-up capital necessary for a council-owned housing company”
IW Council could not undo a packet of crisps between them.
It is more talk from a bunch of useless individuals who could not Stop a Bus at a
Bus Stop.
Looks like some extremely well paid jobs for the top management with the £2.5 million.
Will these be advertised or jobs for mates?
Most of these empty properties are derelict. In fact, a lot look like the one in the picture above. Does anyone want to live in that derelict dump or one like it?
If Housing associations House’s were allocated quicker instead of being left empty for months shorty this would help
There’s a good chance they are left empty for months because some low life scrounger that lived in there has wrecked it and it’s needing a revamp, trust me I’ve worked with the crews having to repeatedly fix these properties, the scummy scroungers have zero respect! I would simply house them in some shopping containers till they get a job and rent a house
‘I am certain the Council are run by Numpties’ may well be true, but these were the only ones who offered themselves up for ‘public service’ at election time.
Any other ‘volunteers’?
I’d have a go, but too busy working to make ends meet…
How about housing the scroungers on the one of those floating ships they have ordered for the boat people? In fact house the boat people cause they actually want to work and stick the local benefits scummers on the boat? Win win more tax then being paid into our economy
They could solve the housing crises by opening up Camphill. It used to accommodate over 500 people.
Other councils in the UK get on and use their powers. Our lot faff n fart about and do very little but argue and name-call like kids. There’s been a house on the end of Pelham Rd in Cowes empty since we moved here in 2008!! Wt actual F?!! If someone’s so rich they can leave a property to rot, they deserve to have it taken off them and given to someone in need…
Why? Who are you to take properties from people. They can do what they want with properties they own. Maybe you also want to take money out of people’s bank accounts because it is just sitting there doing nothing and they obviously don’t deserve money they worked hard to earn. You are full of it Zoe! Maybe engage your brain once in a while.
We have a lot of elderly residents who die either without wills and no obvious heirs or in complex circumstances (such as remarriages and step children) where it can take years to settle inheritance issues and potentially get a property on the market. Other issues are where an elderly couple is split up, one remains at home and the other goes into residential care. if the one at home predeceases the one in care, no-one can do anything until the one in care also dies, even with power of attorney rights granted to family.
Whilst all of this happens, houses rot and deteriorate & need hundreds of thousands of pounds to renovate.
Not every empty house is land banking!
So perhaps they should start with the two big properties they own on westridge round about. The council could home a few homeless people in the big house . The bungalow the other side is big enough to put two families in ! About time the council put their own house in order before looking anywhere else !!