Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is offering to help owners of empty homes by purchasing the property to provide quality housing for people in the borough who need temporary accommodation.
As part of National Empty Homes Week, the authority’s Housing team has launched its own mission to bring quality housing accommodation back to the local community and is looking to purchase properties in the borough.
The council said that the project will help transform an empty property from what may be a financial burden into a new home and become a great benefit to the community.
As part of the Empty Homes Acquisition Project, the authority is giving some owners the opportunity to reduce their costs of selling the property.
They are doing this by offering to pay for an independent survey, mitigate estate agents’ fees and support people throughout the process.
Maidstone Council are particularly interested in properties that are:
- In the borough of Maidstone.
- Not in a ‘dilapidated’ state of repair.
- A freehold.
- Two or three bedroom.
On average, each year the council receives over a thousand homelessness applications, with the figure 1,200 in 2018/19, 1,354 for 2019/20 and 1,148 in 2020/21 respectively.
Commenting, Vice-Chairman of Maidstone Borough Council’s Community, Homes and Environment Committee, Councillor Simon Webb said:
“Every year hundreds of families are threatened with homelessness and need temporary accommodation in our borough, whilst at the same time there are many empty homes which could help them.
“The council has taken the initiative to help both parties, the empty home owners who are looking to sell the property and those in need of a home.
“I would encourage anyone who thinks they are eligible to contact the MBC Housing team to see how they can help.”
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