Agenda item

To receive an update on the progress of the priorities identified within the Private Sector Housing and Empty Homes Strategies.

The Panel received a presentation providing an overview of the progress of the priorities identified within the Private Sector Housing and Empty Homes Strategies.  The presentation has been attached the minutes as an Appendix.

SP1 – Achieving High Standards in the Private Rented Sector: Over the year, 72 properties had been inspected, resulting in 58 category 1 hazards being assessed and 249 category 2 hazards being assessed.  Two improvement notices had been served due to lack of cooperation of the landlord, which had since been complied with. 

SP2 – Enabling Safe Independent Living:  Since 1 April 2022, 79 Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) had been awarded through Hampshire County Council for owner occupied properties and 83 DFGs had been completed to date in relation to Council owned housing stock.  It was expected that £1 million would be spent on the NFDC housing stock by the end of the financial year.

SP3 – Tackling privately owned empty homes: It was noted that 3 priorities had been identified in the Empty Homes Strategy.  Over the last year 47 properties had been brought back into use.  Officers were working with 72 empty home owners.  1 Section 215 notice had been served in July 2021 on a long term empty property (empty for 20+ years).  This property had been sold and the renovation work was close to completion.

SP4: Energy Efficiency: The Council had joined a Warmer Homes Consortium manged by Portsmouth City Council to provide grants to raise the energy efficiency of low income and low energy performance private homes.  This funding would end on 31 March 2023.  There were two funding streams, Local Authority Delivery (LAD) for on gas properties and Home Up Grade (HUG) for off gas properties.  Through LAD, it was noted that 95 warmer homes measures had been completed on 72 properties through, for example, cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and solar panels. Through the HUG fund, 37 measures had been completed to 19 homes.

SP5 - Create a fully integrated private sector housing service: A new IT management system had been developed to integrate housing options with the private sector housing service and more recently the housing landlord function.  The joint working with the housing service was outlined and it would help to achieve better outcomes for tenants and create efficiencies.

A member recognised that of the 72 properties which had been inspected a significant issue identified was damp and mould.  It was questioned whether this was as a result of the media reporting on the issue, worsening structural condition of the properties or whether it was due to the cost of living crisis with residents turning their heating down.  In response it was recognised all these were factors.  The media had increased awareness but also the cost of living crisis meant that some tenants could not afford to heat their homes adequately.  Heating and ventilation were factors in damp and mould in properties.

A member sought an explanation of the DFG process.  It was noted that the limit in legislation for a DFG was £30,000 and that the District Council had a discretionary policy to award up to £10,000.  All applicants were assessed by an Occupational Therapist at Hampshire County Council and any referral would then be passed to the District Council.  Adaptions were means tested, with the exception of children, which ensured that any grant was received by those most in need.

Following a member question, it explained how officers work with empty home owners.  An Officer would make contact with the property owner, via phone, email or letter.  A site visit might be arranged to discuss the vacant property and the importance of bringing it back into occupation.  It was recognised that site visits with the empty property owner usually had more successful outcomes.