More Money for Homeless: Shelter

More Money for Homeless: Shelter

Homeless charity Shelter has said local councils need more money to tackle the issue of empty homes.  

In 2006, the new housing act heralded powers for local councils to issue Empty Dwelling Management Orders allowing councils to take over and rent out properties that had been empty for the last six months.  

However, figures from the Residential Property Tribunal Services have revealed that only a minority of councils is taking advantage of the new powers.  Only 11 Empty Dwelling Management Orders have been issued since the orders were made legal, despite an estimated 280,000 properties in Britain, which have been unoccupied for six months or more.

Our view

This is a really difficult issue.  Why should a council spend hard earned tax-payers money on a property, complete repairs and then give it to a ‘homeless’ person who is likely to not have a job and is therefore not likely to pay rent?

Socially, we all accept that we must help our fellow man, but people cannot just pay money out for no return.  If homeless people are prepared to work and fix up the properties to move into, then we believe this is a compromise that may be acceptable to all.  Just asking for more money is not the answer.

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