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