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Empty homes are a wasted resource and we are committed to tackling privately owned empty homes by working with & providing support to owners, with a view to bringing their properties back to use. Empty home owners can potentially lose an average £7-8000 per year by leaving their properties empty.

If you are the owner of an empty home and need help or advice to bring it back to use, please contact us.

If you know of a privately owned residential property standing empty, then please contact Dudley Council Plus on 0300 555 2345.

Empty homes grant scheme

This scheme is specifically for owners of long term empty properties, to help bring about re-occupation through the provision of technical advice & financial assistance. Owners must be willing to repair their properties to meet the decent homes standard. Assistance is available where the property is to be owner occupied (subject to conditions) or rented out. If rented out, owners must accept Council nominated tenants and rent must be set at the prevailing local housing allowance level. For more information please contact Dudley Council Plus on 0300 555 2345.

VAT reductions for empty properties

VAT reduction on renovation works to empty residential properties was introduced as an incentive to bring them back to use. The reduction rate is available where properties have remained empty for over 2 years prior to the commencement of qualifying works. A reduction is also available where a property has been empty for more than 10 years. To discuss the available reductions please contact Dudley Council Plus on 0300 555 2345.

Powers available to the Council to take action on empty properties

Enforcement action is only considered as a last resort, when all avenues of assistance to an owner to return their property to use have been exhausted, and there is no reasonable prospect of the property being re-occupied without such action being taken.

Powers include -

  • Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMO) – used to take over management of homes empty for more than 2 years.

  • Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) – used by the Council to acquire properties for the better provision of housing.

  • Enforced Sales Procedures (ESP) – used to recover outstanding registered charges, due to works being carried out in default of a statutory notice

  • Other powers are available to the Council to deal with specific issues that can commonly be associated with a property being empty, such as -

  • Accumulation of refuse

  • Infestation

  • General disrepair affecting neighbouring properties (statutory nuisance)

  • Security issues

Empty Homes Strategy & Action Plan 2020-2024

Dudley’s 2020-2024 Empty Homes Strategy (EHS) is a key document that will continue to support the delivery of regeneration and renewal within the Borough and is part of the over-arching Housing Strategy. It sets out how we will be tackling the issue of bringing empty properties back into use within the Borough to provide additional decent and affordable accommodation.