Fixing the house next door

webnibbler

Thanks for the advice on speaking to the council again. The only options available seemed to be environmental health, council house repairs and planning. But I will push to speak to a vacant homes officer if there is one or similar.

The disinterest of the person I did speak too was palpable though so not holding much hope out on the council.

mark55man

webnibbler wrote: »

Thanks for the advice on speaking to the council again. The only options available seemed to be environmental health, council house repairs and planning. But I will push to speak to a vacant homes officer if there is one or similar.

The disinterest of the person I did speak too was palpable though so not holding much hope out on the council.

Raise it with your local councillor if you have received poor service from the council. irrespective of politics most councillors are proud of the council they serve and would actively support. but not instantly!!

I am sure there are cheap things you can do from a DIY perspective that prevent further deterioration whilst not costing a lot or hindering other plans

also have you exhausted tracking down relatives. check the extent to which information about the will or its probate are publically available

elsien

Presumably the garden is overgrown and hosting a variety of vermin?
Make a complaint, keep making complaints, get your neighbours to make complaints.
If it's causing enough of a nuisance to other people, the council have the power to enforce a clean up and put a charge on the property if they're unable to track down the owner and get an agreement to pay.

G_M

mark88man wrote: »

....

also have you exhausted tracking down relatives. check the extent to which information about the will or its probate are publically available

https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

markin

If you don't keep it looking lived in how long until drug users move in, or squatters. Fix the roof and and maintain the front garden best you can.

webnibbler

Thanks all for the ideas.

I'll try contacting the council again, a few more times if necessary and then raise it with the councillor if I don't get much response.

There are two other vacant properties on my street, one has been bordered up for at least a decade. It must be a nightmare for that neighbour. I know she complained to the council and they did do some repairs to the front garden wall and tidied the front garden up a bit but otherwise did nothing to the house. So I may speak to her and see how she got action from the council on it.

It's a decent area to live otherwise and it seems crazy that these properties are allowed to remain empty for so long and gradually fall apart. Surely if no-one is paying the council tax then the council should start a compulsory purchase order on these properties?

Tracking down the probate information that's public is a good suggestion, I'll look at the link to do that this weekend.

markin

The house empty for 10 years already would be the priority yet no action, I wouldn't hold your breath with yours, The last thing you want is a house boarded up next door for 10+ years, and a big shame if its already been boarded, its always best if it can pass as lived in.


Find the council 10 year plan, it will say how many homes a year they have plan to take, mine is 10 homes a year.

paddy's_mum

How unlucky are you to have THREE empty properties in just one street!

Don't think I shall be taking your suggestions for the winning lottery numbers this weekend.

Good luck in sorting it all out.

diggingdude

What part of the country is this? That many empty properties is worrying

webnibbler

paddy's_mum wrote: »

How unlucky are you to have THREE empty properties in just one street!

Around 80 properties on this road, so probably not unusual. Be interesting to know the average.

diggingdude wrote: »

What part of the country is this? That many empty properties is worrying

Lincolnshire. The South Kesteven DC is well known for being mostly broke.