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Liverpool City Council is currently inviting landlords and homeowners to express their interest in applying for grants of up to £20,000 aimed at refurbishing empty properties and bringing them back into use. This initiative forms part of the council’s broader strategy to combat homelessness by reducing the waiting list for housing assistance.
Over the next three years, the council plans to allocate a total of £7.3 million in grants to private sector property owners, encouraging the rehabilitation of 365 vacant homes. The financial support offered ranges from £5,000 to £20,000 and requires the property owner to lease the renovated property to a tenant drawn from the Housing Solutions waiting list for a period of three years. During this time, landlords will be compensated via rent payments aligned with the Local Housing Allowance rate.
To qualify for the grant, applicants must ensure their properties meet the Decent Homes Standard, which includes addressing any Category 1 Hazards such as faulty electrical or gas installations that pose serious risks to occupants. This scheme is projected to result in £13.3 million in savings by reducing the need for costly temporary accommodation.
Several eligibility conditions apply. Owners must have legal ownership or a stake in the property, which must have been empty for at least a year, and the property cannot have any registered financial charges. Applicants must not be under formal enforcement for housing violations or have outstanding Council Tax debts on the property. Furthermore, ownership transferred within the last two years from individuals subject to enforcement or arrears also disqualifies an applicant. Grants are exclusive of other financial aid offered by the council’s capital programme and are not available for developing land without existing dwellings.
Councillor Hetty Wood, Cabinet Member for Housing, emphasized the council’s commitment: “The homelessness crisis is affecting councils up and down the country and in Liverpool we are taking decisive action to tackle it. The Empty Homes Grant has the advantage of not just reducing the housing waiting list, but also bringing back into use properties just need some love and care to make them habitable again. Combined with other work we are doing, including creating a new customer services hub to rapidly assess homeless households, and working with social housing providers to deliver new affordable developments, we are determined to do everything in our power to make sure people in Liverpool have a decent roof over their head.”
Those interested in applying can submit their expression of interest by visiting the Liverpool City Council website
Read the full article on Liverpool Express here: Read More
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