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Empty Homes Practitioner of theYear #1 - Sue Li

Story submitted by DGibbens on

The Empty Homes Awards were presented at the 2018 Conference in Birmingham on 18th October, and we'll be recognising the various award winners in news items over the next few days. 

First up are the winners of the Empty Homes Practitioner of the Year Award, sponsored by Kent No Use Empty.

There were two winner this year and we think they each deserve their own story. Today, we are recognising the achievement of Sue Li.

2018 Conference 'highlight of Empty Homes Week'

Story submitted by EHNAdmin on

Will McMahon, the Director of campaigning charity Action on Empty Homes, praised our Empty Homes Conference as a 'highlight' of Empty Homes Week, in his blog post on our website.

Action on Empty Homes took the opportunity of the Conference to relaunch the organisation under its new title, with Will McMahon (pictured left) introducing himself to the practitioner world at large by initiating a dialogue with those present.

Success during Empty Homes Week

Story submitted by Nicola Fox on

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Action on Empty Homes relaunches with Empty Homes Week statement

Story submitted by DGibbens on

Our partners and champions at Action on Empty Homes (previously 'Empty Homes' and 'Empty Homes Agency') issued the following press release for Empty Homes Week:

Campaign calls for an end to the scandal of hundreds of thousands of empty homes

At the start of Empty Homes Week 15 – 21 October 2018[1], Action on Empty Homes[2] is calling on the government to support local authorities to enable them to refurbish the hundreds of thousands of properties standing empty across England.

E.ON seeks more partners for its Empty Homes Solutions

Story submitted by DGibbens on

Following our announcement of E.ON’s Awards sponsorship (see our story ‘E.ON launches Empty Homes Awards season’) the company has provided more details of its new partnership project to tackle empty homes..

Most people will probably be familiar with E.ON as an Energy supplier, but it is proving itself to be much more than that. E.ON describes itself as

Empty Homes Awards deadlines extended

Story submitted by DGibbens on

We don't feel we have had enough submissions in 3 of our Empty Homes Awards Categories, and so we are extending the deadline for these for another week, until 2359 on Tuesday, 9th October.

The three Awards categories we are holding open are:

  • Innovation Award – sponsored by E.ON
  • Practitioner of the Year Award – sponsored by Kent No Use Empty
  • 'Rising Star' Award – sponsored by Orbis Protect

It seems that modesty prevails. Don't be shy - your work is more valuable than you may think.

Orbis Protect sponsors new ‘Rising Star’ Award

Story submitted by DGibbens on

We are pleased to announce that Orbis Protect is sponsoring a new ‘Rising Star’ Award as part of this year’s Empty Homes Awards. This award is intended to recognise and reward emerging empty homes practitioners who have made significant contributions over a short period of time.

Louis Fordham, Orbis Protect - Business Development Director for the Social Housing Sector, said:

Help! BBC programme makers seek projects to highlight in forthcoming series

Story submitted by DGibbens on

Can you help production company Two Four source interesting empty homes projects to highlight in a forthcoming series for the BBC?

Based on what we know so far, this is an excellent opportunity to highlight the contribution that empty homes practitioners make or to reveal issues we face.

Over to Vicki Pratt of Two Four:

EHA 2.0 launches new campaign

Story submitted by DGibbens on

The campaigning charity Empty Homes (previously the Empty Homes Agency and soon to be 'Action on Empty Homes') has initiated a major new 'Campaign for Community Investment' that lobbies for capital investment in areas with higher numbers of empty homes.

Lords amendment proposes Empty Homes Premium escalator

Story submitted by DGibbens on

The House of Lords has inserted an amendment into the Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill that introduces an escalator into the amount of Empty Homes Premium payable according to how long a dwelling has been empty.  The amendment was supported by the government which suggests that it will be accepted in the Commons.

Hello, Goodbye, Hello - Kit Malthouse new Housing Minister

Story submitted by DGibbens on

Recently-appointed Dominic Raab has been replaced as Minister of State for Housing by Kit Malthouse, now the eighth minister to hold the housing portfolio in 8 years. 

Given the normally short-term nature of such appointments, there seems little point in devoting serious brain-power to anything that might be called 'research' into the latest incumbent of the role. As an alternative, here are some useful links:

Community Housing Fund launched

Story submitted by DGibbens on

The government has launched a £163 million fund to support community-led affordable housing. The scheme is being administered by Homes England (the successor to the Homes and Communities Agency) and bids are invited under a 'continuous market engagement' process that will continue until all the money has been allocated or December 2019, whichever comes first.

Crucially, the Prospectus makes it clear that the scheme is available for conversions and refurbishment:

Tracing agent research indicates local authority confusion

Story submitted by DGibbens on

A major report published by Anglia Research reveals a considerable amount of uncertainty, inconsistency and questionable practice amongst local authorities using probate researchers (or 'tracing agents'). For empty homes practitioners seeking to use tracing agents to locate missing owners, the report highlights some of the risks involved and the need for due diligence and robust procedures to control those risks. It warrants close reading.

Kent scoops Regeneration Award

Story submitted by DGibbens on

Kent's No Use Empty (NUE) initiative scooped the award for ‘Outstanding approach to regeneration’ at the UK Housing Awards event at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in central London.

The UK Housing Awards, run by Inside Housing and the Chartered Institute of Housing, is the largest and longest running awards in the sector and is now in its third decade.

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