Empty properties can blight a whole neighbourhood and are socially, environmentally and economically unacceptable.

They represent a wasted housing resource for the local population and can attract anti-social behaviour including vandalism, arson and fly tipping. A run down empty property can adversely affect neighbouring house prices and are a wasted asset for the owner.

Wirral's Empty Property Team is now in place and we are dedicated to returning empty properties back into use.

By bringing these empty properties back into use we can:

• Increase the supply of much needed housing
• Reduce homelessness
• Contribute to the regeneration of an area
• Help to create sustainable communities
• Respond positively to public concerns
• Reduce the need for 'green field' development.

What are we going to do about it?

Wirral Council received 1,329 complaints regarding empty properties and land between April 2003 and March 2004. Most of these complaints concerned the poor environmental quality or public health issues associated with these properties, especially refuse, litter, overgrown gardens, vermin infestations, dereliction and open or insecure buildings.

There are several new initiatives set up to tackle empty properties and derelict land;

• The establishment of a dedicated Empty Property Team;
• The creation of an Empty Property Strategy;
• HOUSED (Home Ownership using sustainable Empty Properties);
• Empty Property Financial Assistance;
• Private Sector Leasing.

How You Can Help

In order to bring back empty privately owned homes back into use, we need the help of landlords, owners and residents to identify all empty flats and houses in the borough.

If you own, live next door to or simply know of an empty property, which is either a house or flat or which has potential to become residential accommodation please contact us:

Empty Property Team: 0151 691 8005 or email emptyproperties@wirral.gov.uk

What happens next?

The Empty Property Team will start the investigation with a view to:-

• Establishing ownership;
• Resolving the immediate problems ie. fly tipping, untidy appearance etc through working with partner agencies;
• Ultimately getting the property reoccupied.

If owners of vacant properties refuse to co-operate then the necessary works can be undertaken in default. The Council then either recovers the costs form the owner of secures the finance as a special charge against the property. In certain circumstances and as a last resort the Empty Property Team can enforce the sale of a vacant property against the owner or will serve an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO).