Are councils profiteering from landlords struggling to sell empty properties?
12:02 AM, 10th December 2024, 1 year ago
36
I own a property in Dorset which has now been on the market for 5 years since my tenants had to move out due to bad mould and damp caused by a leak in the roof that was giving them health problems.
As I am not able to re-let the property, as it is F rated for energy efficiency, the house is vacant and unoccupied.
The amount it would cost to get the property up to an E rating is beyond my budget due to the amount of work involved and cost of renewing the roof and getting rid of deep rooted mould requiring all walls to be stripped back to bare brick and insulated.
To date, I owe the council £22,188 which I have agreed to pay once the house is sold through my solicitor. I have been through the Tribunal process but it seems as though the council are powerless to use their discrepancy in such cases (even if they wanted to). However is it fair and reasonable for councils to charge Long Term Empty Home Premium to landlords in my situation (currently 200% premium for homes empty for at least 5 years) or are they just profiteering from our misfortune?
Is it not time the government stepped in with a Bill to prevent this happening. An Empty Dwellings Bill to protect owners of homes that are genuinely on the market for rent or sale so that the premium is not used to penalise landlords who cannot re-let their properties? The nightmare for me is that the longer I cannot sell the property, the bigger the debt to the council for a house that I cannot use or live in.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Nigel
Tags:
council tax premiums landlords, empty dwellings bill proposal, empty property council tax, energy efficiency rating F, landlords empty properties, long-term empty home premium, mould and damp property issues, property on market council tax, selling empty properties challenges, vacant property council charges
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Member Since March 2023 - Comments: 1506
10:40 AM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
Err .. if it hasn’t sold in 5 years you are asking too much for it.
ANY property will sell at the going rate, its just that the going rate is NOT determined by the seller.
I sold a property a number of years ago to one of these ‘buy anything , anywhere, in any state’ companies – had to give around 15% discount but was still cheaper than the upgrades I would have had to do (complete rewire involving kitchen out, replastering etc).
Member Since November 2022 - Comments: 65 - Articles: 1
11:13 AM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
Either put it up for auction or see if your local council will take it off your hands. Some councils have empty homes schemes where they will bear the costs of refurbishment as long as they can rent the property to a council tenant for a certain no of years – usually 10 years.
Member Since January 2024 - Comments: 342
11:14 AM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
What is the debt as a percentage of value? Sounds to me as if you should just sell at whatever someone will offer, provided it isn’t ridiculous.
Member Since June 2024 - Comments: 10
11:52 AM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 10/12/2024 – 10:40
I have been guided by the estate agent values but may do as you suggest if it doesn’t sell at auction.
Member Since June 2024 - Comments: 10
11:53 AM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Raz at 10/12/2024 – 11:13
That sounds like a good idea. I will contact them and see what they can do for me. Shame to give the property away as it is in such a nice location.
Member Since June 2024 - Comments: 10
12:02 PM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Ryan Stevens at 10/12/2024 – 11:14
About 5% of the value at present. Maybe I will try to lower the value and see what interest I get.
Member Since March 2023 - Comments: 1506
12:08 PM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Nigel Ives at 10/12/2024 – 11:52
Selling to one of these buy anything companies is even easier than an auction, you don’t need any searches and they usually pay your solicitors fees. Sold one of mine in 14 days and had the money there and then.
Member Since December 2024 - Comments: 62
12:08 PM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
Usually properties such as these are classic auction house sales.
Your buyer may find themselves on “Homes Under the Hammer”.
Member Since June 2024 - Comments: 10
12:21 PM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 10/12/2024 – 12:08
Who did you go with as a lot of them get such bad reviews?
Member Since December 2023 - Comments: 1574
1:00 PM, 10th December 2024, About 1 year ago
The answer to the question is a resounding yes. I’ve paid CT for 9 months while I recovered a property to a habitable condition and sold it.
I will have the last laugh.