Empty Homes Register

The request was refused by Milton Keynes Council.

Dear Milton Keynes Council,

Please can you provide me with the following information under the Freedom Of Information Act 2000:-

I would be grateful if you could supply me with a list of the empty properties/homes within Milton Keynes.

A spreadsheet of addresses will be sufficient, I do not require you to divulge any personal information

I am a local property investor and am hoping to bring some of the empty properties back into use, so any assistance and advice you can provide will be gratefully received.

Yours faithfully,

Jamie Side

Hunt, Sophie, Milton Keynes Council

Dear Mr Side

Your request for information has now be considered and it is not possible to meet your request. Whilst Milton Keynes Council holds the information you have requested, we consider the following exemptions apply to it:

We consider that the qualified exemption set out in Section 31(1)(a)(Law enforcement) applies to the information requested in respect of empty domestic properties, therefore we have decided to withhold the information.

In applying this exemption, we have had to balance the public interest in withholding the information against the interest in favour of disclosure.

Factors in favour of disclosure
• Promotion of the re-use of empty properties

Factors in favour of withholding information
• Prevention of squatting and criminal damage which might occur if addresses of empty properties were in public domain
• Withholding the data enables individuals and organisations to better protect their properties

In all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

You should also note that S144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 has made squatting in residential properties illegal and therefore a criminal offence. This adds further weight to the exemption being applied to the disclosure of the requested information.

In all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintain the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

If you have a complaint about the handling of your request then please contact me. I will arrange for an internal review which will be considered as part of Stage 2 of the Council’s complaints procedure.

You also have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner at: Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Fax: 01625 524510
www.ico.org.uk

Sophie Hunt IRRV (Tech)
Revenues and Benefits Team Leader
T: 01908 253722
E: [email address]
Visit us online at www.milton-keynes.gov.uk
Milton Keynes Council  l  Civic Offices  l  1 Saxon Gate East  l  Milton Keynes  l  MK9 3EJ

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