I have just moved into my new job role, which includes empty homes and I would love any information with regard to this.

• The only other cost implications could be deterioation of fabric of the building, so loss through re-sale.
• Value of surrounding properties and their re-sale values
• Anti Social Behaviour issues in the community and the cost's that could be attached through enforecement

I would welcome any good practice letters, that are out there.  Many Thanks

Hello in Plymouth we recently updated our information regarding the cost of leaving a house empty.  Based on local rents, CTax,  damage, high cost of insurance deterioration etc we inform that it is upwards of £10K per annum.  The info we publish on our website can be viewed at http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/housing/privatehousing/emptyhomes.htm

Hello

Within documentation and reports produced we have refered to the amount of families that could be housed, and the loss of rental revenue at market values. I made some rather general assumptions, suggesting that the average empty was 3 beds, and this would house a family, therefore the amount of empties you have could house x number of families, and was an annual rental revenue loss of £xxxxxx at market value rents. Our housing need department gave me an avergae open market amount for a 3 bed home for the area.

Thanks

Random thoughts - can't really quantify costs.

If mortgaged, the Bank may repossess the property because of a breach of conditions like, "you have not notified us that you have left the property empty for more than 28 days" and "you have not kept the property insured in accordance with the agreement". I have encouraged Banks to repossess 2 homes in the last month on grounds of abandonment. This is costly for the owner as the Bank will deduct the following from any remaining equity - Loan outstanding PLUS the cost of works to make the property habitable/insurable PLUS their legal/admin fee.

Cost of enforcement work. Not just financial, it's the agro too. We have one owner of a listed building in a conservation area who is getting fed up with having to take time off to meet inspectors on site and then having to pay to make the listed building watertight and pretty.

Remember to stress the costs the Council can charge if enforcement is required. Cost of works + reasonable officer time (varies according to types of Notices served). And the cost of Enforced Sale should they fail to settle a debt arising from statutory action!

Owners and mortgagees generally understand the WID/Local Land Charges approach. But very few know that if you then register the charge against the Title on the Land Registry, that that charge takes priority over other charges (depending on statute). Your charge is a Statutiry charge and you bump the mortgagee down in terms of priority. 

One frsutration I have is with Anti Social Behaviour Act Closure Orders issued by the Police. They can shut a place up for 3 months with seriously expensive shuttering, BUT they don't recover the costs.

I have one case where the owner has detailed her £7,000 legal fees/security measures on a property that became a squat ... twice in 3 months. She says the finacial cost was grim, but that the the sheer aggro of sorting the matter out was much worse. Home renovated and back in use now!

Nick

Hello

The way we determined the cost of leaving a house empty in Plymouth was based on a three bedroom house;

Cost per year upwards of £10K based on the following minimum costs;

Loss of rent £7,500 (LHA rate for Plymouth)

Insurance £500 (minimum cost could be substantially more)

Council Tax £1,300

Damage and deterioration £700 (could be sustantially more)