Compulsory purchase order threat to tackle problem of empty homes | Money | The Observer

Compulsory purchase order threat to tackle problem of empty homes | Money | The Observer

A council with one of the biggest housing shortages in the country is threatening to use compulsory purchase orders against the owners of homes that have been left empty for six months or more.

Cornwall council says 3,597 flats and houses in the county have been empty for at least six months – some for many years – and has allocated £2m to spend on persuading owners to bring the them back into use. This does not include the holiday homes that make up 10% of the county's housing stock.

Interest-free loans of up to £15,000 can be claimed by owners of two-bed properties that have been empty for six months or more and need substantial work to make them habitable. Owners of one-bed homes can claim up to £7,500.

In return, the refurbished homes must be made available for some of the 18,931 households on the council's waiting list.

The council is also offering interest-free loans of up to £20,000 to local first-time buyers who purchase long-term unoccupied homes. It cannot be put towards a deposit, but is made available after completion of the purchase for buyers to undertake renovation work.