The Council provides a combination of grants and interest-free loans which are used to:
Tackle the worst housing conditions and assist those in greatest need.
Eliminate risks to health and safety.
Bring empty homes back into use.
Increase the supply of good quality, affordable homes for rent.
Improve energy efficiency.
What we aim to achieve by each type of assistance, can be summarised as follows:
Interest-free loan (secured on the property) will be used to fund essential repairs and improvements to ensure the property provides a safe and healthy environment for the occupants, and any visitors to that property.
Grants will be used to make private rented accommodation safe, decent and bring empty properties back into use.
Fire Safety Grant - a grant covering 50% of the cost, which will help private landlords provide adequate fire protection and detection in large houses in multiple occupation, that need to be licensed.
Empty Property Grant - a grant covering 50% of the cost, which will assist prospective landlords with the cost of making empty homes suitable for letting.
Private Sector Renewal Policy - This policy document was adopted by the Council in 2004, and it aims to improve the condition of the housing stock, by assisting in a more comprehensive and long-term renewal approach within the private sector housing stock. The original policy was revised as a result of the Private House Condition Survey Results in June 2004, to ensure the Council's policies fit with what the survey has told us. A new Housing Survey is being carried out in December 2006, and when the results are known, the policy will be further reviewed.
