Strategic Housing Market Assessment - North Devon District Council

SHMA: Torridge and North Devon Update
• Improve and Lease schemes: a housing association carries out work on a
property and is able to let the property to a household in housing need at a
lower rent to reflect the investment required for repairs. An alternative to
this approach is to encourage accredited lettings agents to improve and
lease empty properties (this adds to choice for the empty home owner).
• Equity loan schemes: local authorities either use their own resources or
work with a loans company to provide finance (based on the equity in the
building) to carry out works on an empty property which can be repaid
when the property is sold.
• Private Sector Leasing Schemes: the owner leases the home to the local
authority, or a housing association or charity for them to manage.
• Feasibility grants: small grants to overcome barriers to making a planning
application for example to make adaptations to an empty house.
• Homesteading: an empty property is made available to people in housing
need at a discounted cost conditional on them renovating the property.
• Rent Deposit and Home Bond Schemes: providing a tenancy introduction
service and bond guarantee.
• Abolish the empty homes Council Tax discount: local authorities have
individual discretion concerning council tax discounts on empty properties.
Dealing with low demand social rented housing
7.25 There is clear evidence of low demand for some housing in the social sector,
principally flats and bedsits. In order to deliver homes that meet the needs
and aspirations of older people it may be necessary to take action to deal with
the social rented properties that are unpopular with and unsuitable for older
people. Reasons for unpopularity vary but are likely to include quality, design,
accessibility, space standards and location. The reasons for low demand
need to be determined through a full sustainability appraisal and the following
options are of relevance, some of which are currently being implemented:
1 Opening up ‘designated’ properties to a wider age range (locations that
are difficult for older people may be fine for younger age groups);
2 Demolition, and the site used for either re-provision of homes that match
older people’s needs and aspirations or other general needs social
housing;
3 Remodelling, for example, two smaller properties joined to make one
suitable home to offer homes that older people want and need; and
257