We provide grants to purchasers of empty properties who will become owner occupiers.

The criteris for grant is :

• property must be registered with council tax as vacant
• must fail decent homes standard
• applicant provides owner occupation certificate stating they will reside in property for 10 years
• if relevant disposal within period full grant repayable
• works must be completed within 6 months and property occupied

Grant is based on 50% of the reasonable costs up to £12,000.

For landlords interest free loans are avaiable for upto 5 years.

In both cases we inspect and supply the schedule of works to enable the applicant to obtain estimates.

Geoffrey Holdich

Empty Homes Officer

North East Lincolnshire Council

Carol

I have experienced this frustrating aspect recently.  What I want  is a comprehensive easily understood schedule of works that is detailed enough to allow us to, if all else fails, put the works out to tender and contractors to quote should the need for works in default arise yet many empty properties are going to need major refurbishment works and redesign to room sizes, locations etc.

What I want is for the schedules to be done professionally by someone who can balance the need for detail with clarity but also that the end result can be achieved in a number of  acceptable ways.

It would be technically correct to specify the works as those which meet  the Decent Homes Standard and remove and/or reduce HHSRS Cat 1 and 2 hazards whilst taking in all relevant room sizes and amenity standards guidance your LA has adopted but Im not too sure how the RPT would react to that lack of detail.  Interestingly HHSRS enforcement guidance tells us to specify the hazard within our enforcement options but nowhere does it tell us how much detail is needed to resolve it!  Tradition and practice sees us often go into minute detail specifying room by room, wall by wall, cracked plaster by.....you get my meaning?  I dont have the time to do this and would expect the grant applicant to suppy an acceptable (to me) schedule of adequate quality.  Include that in the application paperwork and perhaps make a previously accepted schedule of works available as an example of the quality and detail you require.  Reasonable professional fees from architects and surveyors can be included within the grant monies paid but this of course limits the cash for the actual works.

I think its best to keep schedules brief, avoid technical jargon and be concluded with the 'catch all' conclusion that other works that will achieve the same outcome, not specified in the schedule can be accepted as long as they meet the same standard and applicant must inform you , in writing, of any alterations prior to  completion.

Good luck