Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has appointed a dedicated Empty Homes Officer to help bring long term uninhabited properties back into use.
It comes at a time when, like many parts of the southeast, there is high demand for local housing in the area and increased pressure on the rental sector.
With a government housing target of almost 20,000 new properties to meet in Tonbridge and Malling by 2041, the council sees the role as another step to try to create extra stock and increase housing capacity.
Around 470 homes across the borough have been empty for more than six months – the point at which they are classed as long-term empty properties. It includes a mix of flats, bungalows, and family houses.
The new Empty Homes Officer will identify and map vacant properties, trace their owners, and support efforts to bring them back into use.
There are a variety of reasons why properties become uninhabited, such as delays in probate or other complex legal processes, high renovation and maintenance costs, or being bought as an investment and left intentionally empty. However, despite being unoccupied council tax is still paid on vacant properties and includes a premium of 100% extra for properties standing empty for over a year, 200% for vacancies of over 5 years and 300% for 10 years or over.
Vacant homes on a street can have a negative impact on communities - they reduce the supply of much-need local housing, attract vandalism or anti-social behaviour, and can have a detrimental effect on the look and feel of a neighbourhood. By bringing these homes back into use, the council can help meet local housing needs and keep communities safe.
Cllr Robin Betts, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council cabinet member for housing, said: “Every property that is lying empty is a potential home for someone. Empty homes are a wasted resource at a time when we know housing in the borough is in demand.
“This new role shows our continued commitment to an innovative approach to creating housing. It’s good for residents, good for communities and good for the borough as a whole.”
Work is already underway and is proving to be effective, with negotiations to bring some properties back to a habitable condition after lying empty for years.
If you know of an empty property in the borough, you can report it online via our website.