Grants To Transform Empty Homes

Would-be homeowners are being offered grants of up to £20,000 to create the house of their dreams. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

New funding is being offered as part of the Council’s 3 year, £200m RCTinvest programme to help people onto the property ladder, boost the economy and regenerate houses that are currently standing empty and at risk of becoming derelict. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The grants will be offered to help buyers with the cost of modernising and renovating an empty property they purchase, enabling them to turn it into a modern, efficient and affordable home. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are almost 3,000 empty homes across the county borough and many are offered for sale at an affordable asking price, but need extensive and expensive work to modernise them, putting buyers off. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By providing an upfront grant to help with the costs of rewiring, installing modern heating and plumbing systems the Council hopes to encourage buyers to consider older properties. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Joy Rosser, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Prosperity, Wellbeing and Communities, said: “Tackling the issue of empty properties is a key priority for the Cabinet which is why we have launched the Empty Properties Grant as part of our £200m RCTinvest programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Many of the properties that stand empty in Rhondda Cynon Taf would make lovely homes for people with a bit of work, but often people are put off by, or do not have the upfront funds needed, to undertake such work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Tasks such as rewiring, installing a modern heating and plumbing system and modernising decor can cost a lot of money and we hope the introduction of this new grant will assist those looking to buy and create a home of their own. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Empty properties often have affordable asking prices and this, combined with the lower deposit needed and the grant to undertake modernisation work should be appealing for house-buyers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The new grant is just one in a range of initiatives we are delivering in order to deal with empty properties. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This includes working where we can to bring them back to life and create much-needed housing for our residents and also dealing with the properties that are causing our communities a problem because of the state of disrepair they are in. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Applications for the new grant are open now and we invite people who have been looking to buy a home of their own and are open to creating something to their taste and style from an empty property to get in touch.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new Empty Property Grant is the latest in a series of initiatives being delivered by the Council and its partner agencies to deal with housing issues, meet housing need and support residents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other ongoing work includes: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Homestep, a partnership with housing developers in which brand new homes are offered at a fraction of the market price to first-time buyers on a retained equity basis.
• Homestep Plus, a partnership with United Welsh housing in which first-time buyers can purchase an empty property which is renovated on their behalf and sold to them on a shared equity basis.
• Houses into Homes Loan, which offers grant funding for those who wish to buy an empty property, renovate it and then sell it or rent it.
• Strategic Empty Properties Officer who manages empty properties, identifying ownership and legal responsibility and working with owners or their estates to try and bring empty properties back to life. This role includes making legal orders for work to be undertaken on empty properties which are causing a problem and also providing information and advice for those responsible for empty properties.