Ms Harriet Bell
Policy and Strategy
Westminster City Council
64 Victoria Street
London
SW1E 6QP
Telephone 0207 641 3921
Email xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Our ref: 9959465
Your ref:
Date: 7 August 2019
Dear Ms Bell
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. You asked to be provided
with the following information:
1) Can the council confirm their current number of Long Term Empty Properties as of
the 8th May (those domestic properties which have been empty for six months or
older)
2) What work is the council currently undertaking or planning to undertake around
reducing their long term empty properties in 2019?
3) During 2018 did you undertake any work around reducing your Long Term Empty
Properties. If you did was this done using internal resource or a third party?
4) If yes is the answer to question three, did the council review every single long
term property
5) Does the reduction of empty homes in the council area form part of your Housing
strategy?
6) Does the council have a budget in place to help support the reduction of empty
properties?
7) How much did the council spend on temporary accommodation during 2018?
8) Does the council offer financial support /loans to Long Term Empty property
owners to help them bring properties back into use? Response
1.
Can the council confirm their current number of Long Term Empty Properties as of
the 8th May (those domestic properties which have been empty for six months or
older)
163 properties that have been empty for more than 2 years
2) What work is the council currently undertaking or planning to undertake around
reducing their long term empty properties in 2019?
If an enquiry is received about a poor quality empty property, a letter is sent to the
owner asking if they have plans to bring it back into use. If any property is reported
as a danger to public health or is unsafe, or is causing nuisance, enforcement action
may be taken. No Council Tax discount is offered on empty properties and from April
2018 the council has charged an additional Council Tax Premium on those empty
properties that are unfurnished and have been vacant for two years.
3) During 2018 did you undertake any work around reducing your Long Term Empty
Properties. If you did was this done using internal resource or a third party?
See above
4) If yes is the answer to question three, did the council review every single long
term property
5) Does the reduction of empty homes in the council area form part of your Housing
strategy?
No
6) Does the council have a budget in place to help support the reduction of empty
properties?
No
7) How much did the council spend on temporary accommodation during 2018?
The gross amount spent on temporary accommodation during 2017/18 was
£47.5million. The net amount was £4.9million.
8) Does the council offer financial support /loans to Long Term Empty property
owners to help them bring properties back into use?
No
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for
an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of
the date of receipt of the response to your original letter and should be addressed to:
Information Management Team
64 Victoria Street
London
SW1E 6QP
xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to
apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Further information is
also available from the Information Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 54 57 45
Fax: 01625 524510
Web: www.ico.org.uk
I will now close your request as of this date.
Yours sincerely
Westminster City Council