Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
So, Phil, what IS Haringey doing about empty properties?
Earlier this week Phil Spencer highlighted the issue of empty homes and a potential remedy with a C4 programme focussing on a property in Wordsworth Parade, opposite the Queen's Head. That led me to wonder what Haringey Council is doing about empty homes.
An internet search led me to information on a page about empty homes on the Haringey website which includes the following statement: "Haringey Council has a policy of encouraging owners of empty homes to bring them back into use. The Council would prefer it if owners did this themselves and grants are sometimes available to help with renovation costs.".
The page also outlines the remedies available to the Council. But, I cannot find any records of how many homes the Council has brought back into use or what resources it devotes to this issue in these resource poor times. However, I did find elsewhere a statement to the effect that 62 empty homes in Haringey were brought back into use during 2009/10.
The most recent Haringey strategy I can find on t'internet on this says: "Haringey has over 2,400 empty properties Haringey has the 13th highest proportion in London. The Council's policy is to develop initiatives to encourage owners to bring long term vacant properties back into use."
Pages 23 & 24 of a borough housing profile give targets for 2008 - 2010 and a ward by ward breakdown of empty properties at in 2010.
Emptyhomes.com offers a national breakdown of empty properties for last year as well as loads of info and resources on the issue.
If you know of an empty home in the borough, you can report it by email to - empty.properties@haringey.gov.uk
Tags for Forum Posts: empty homes, housing
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rory Bergin on
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There was a recent announcement by DCLG on funding for homes that have been empty for more than two years. There is £50M available and bids should be submitted in the spring. The best people to take advantage of the funding are Housing Associations as the funding is aimed at providing affordable homes for rent at the new 'affordable' rent levels. See this page for details. http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/ourwork/empty-homes
I know someone who lives on the Ladder who works for a HA, I'll see if I can get her involved. Are there any large scale empty properties in the Harringay area?
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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The borough strategy I linked to above showed that last year Harringay ranked third in the borough for 'emptiness', after Crouch End & Highgate.
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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Oh we are coming up in the world. If we're not careful we'll be assessing ourselves in the 'foodiness' league next.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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2400 / 62 = 38 and a bit...
Personally I think they should have their properties confiscated, that might encourage them to look for a bloody bridging loan.
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In the Netherlands it was, up to quiet recently, legal to squat buildings if they were empty for a year. Of course they have now reppealed this law and speculators can now sit on empty property while they wait for planning permission to buld something nobody really wants to live in. Bit like Wards Corner then!
The tories are now banning squating also. Interesting times...
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Permalink Reply by Maddy on
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There is some provision for confiscating properties when there is a debt of over £2000 unpaid council tax - it was in the latest edition of Haringey People.
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Oh I wonder how many of those there are....
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If you want to know the most up to date stats, a Freedom of Information Request to the Council is the way to go. If you use the WhatDoTheyKnow.com website to submit your enquiry, the response will automatically appear online for anyone else to see too.
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Haringey People has an article about this but it seems more focussed on owners of empty properties who owe Haringey Council more than £2,000, usually in council tax arrears - they have been warned to 'pay up or face losing the property'. According to the article, HC has used legislation to auction an abandoned house and has a further 29 empty properties in its sights for legal action.
We should be encouraging these empty homes to be taken on as projects giving unemployed, homeless, the chance to learn new skills by helping in the renovation and maybe even getting a decent home into the bargain
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Question should be what are they doing about their own empty properties? A house near me is owned by the council and has been boarded up for over a year - makes the neighborhood look awful. They say they are going to sell it but apparently this is so complicated, it will take over 6 months before they can even think about doing that - disgraceful.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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If you email me details, David, I can ask for information. Or perhaps you've already made this request through your ward councillors?
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
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Yes I found one over near Finsbury Park years ago that upon enquiring with the council found was theirs. Same story, they were in the process of selling it and it was complicated. If it was a bank foreclosing...
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