Vacant\Empty properties

The request was refused by Merton Borough Council.

Dear Merton Borough Council,

I am looking for data on Vacant\Empty properties in the area. Are you able to provide details (addresses) or owners details?

We are also looking for details on out of town landlords (Can I
request the correspondence address for the landlord if you have
these?)

We buy houses and bring them back to life enabling more properties
back into the rental sector.
We want to offer the vendors a solution to this and offer our
services. I understand that many councils hold this sort of data?

I would like to understand if the local authority has an Empty
Property Strategy, the extent of empty property in the area,
how the local authority plans to deal with it and the names and
contact details of officers within the council who are responsible
for it.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

M Dee

foi, Merton Borough Council

Thank you for your email message. We aim to respond to all requests under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information
Regulations 2004 within 20 working days.
More information about the way we deal with information requests is on our
web site at [1]www.merton.gov.uk/foi.
 
Information Governance Team
London Borough of Merton.
020 8545 4634
 
 
 

References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/www.merton.gov.uk/foi

foi, Merton Borough Council

Dear M Dee

Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental Information Regulations
2004 Information request

 

We have now considered your information request as set out below. 

 

You asked:

 

I am looking for data on Vacant\Empty properties in the area. Are you able
to provide details (addresses) or owners details?

 

We are also looking for details on out of town landlords (Can I request
the correspondence address for the landlord if you have

these?)

 

The information requested is held but it will not be disclosed.  This
information is considered exempt under section 31(a) of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 – Law Enforcement and the prevention or detection of
crime.  This exemption applies to the information because if it were
disclosed, it would be likely to prejudice the prevention of crime by
placing empty properties and their surrounds at higher risk of crime
(specifically from squatting,  anti-social behaviour, drug dealing,
criminal damage, arson, and building stripping by organised groups). In
applying this exemption we are required to assess whether or not
disclosure would be in the public interest.  Public interest arguments in
favour of disclosure include the general benefits associated with greater
openness and transparency and more specific benefits, such as increasing
the likelihood that empty properties could be brought  back into use.
However, we do not consider that these benefits outweigh the potential
harm that could be caused by the increased likelihood of crime. Therefore,
on balance, we believe that disclosure would not be in the public interest
and that this exemption applies. 

 

In making this decision I have been mindful of the decisions taken by the
Information Commissioner, available here:

 

[1]http://www.ico.org.uk/upload/documents/d...

[2]http://www.ico.org.uk/~/media/documents/...

 

And the associated decision taken by the Information Tribunal, reference
EA-2011-0007, available here:

[3]http://www.informationtribunal.gov.uk/DB...

 

Landlords’ names and their contact details (if held) will not be provided,
as we additionally consider this information to be exempt under section
40(2) of the Act.

 

Section 40(2) applies to personal data when disclosure would contravene
any of the data protection principles. The names of the landlords and
their contact details are personal data, and disclosure would contravene
the first data protection principle, which concerns fairness. As the
landlords concerned would not reasonably expect the council to release
this data about them into the public domain. 

 

I would like to understand if the local authority has an Empty Property
Strategy, the extent of empty property in the area, how the local
authority plans to deal with it and the names and contact details of
officers within the council who are responsible for it.

 

Merton Council no longer owns any council housing and it therefore does
not hold information on any empty council housing in the borough. The
Council no longer has grants or loans to return empty homes back into use.

 

Further information is publicly available on our website, at
[4]http://www2.merton.gov.uk/housing/privat...  

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request please contact
the Head of Information Governance at Merton Council, Civic Centre,
Morden, SM4 5DX or e-mail [5][Merton Borough Council request email]

 

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

 

The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

 

Telephone:0303 123 1113

 

Website: [6]www.ico.org.uk

 

There is no charge for making an appeal.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Information Governance Officer

Corporate Services

Merton Council

 

 

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ico.org.uk/upload/documents/d...
2. http://www.ico.org.uk/~/media/documents/...
3. http://www.informationtribunal.gov.uk/DB...
4. http://www2.merton.gov.uk/housing/privat...
5. mailto:[Merton Borough Council request email]
6. http://www.ico.gov.uk/