Many Local Authorities have a dedicated empty homes officer, whose aim is to support owners of long term or problematical empty homes to bring them back into use. In many cases, informal discussions will result in an empty home being brought back into the housing market, but there are other occasions when more formal action is necessary to ensure a successful outcome.
A range of legal powers exists which enables action to be taken in respect of empty properties which are causing a nuisance to adjacent properties, or which are otherwise in poor condition.
In some circumstances, Local Authorities have other powers which enable them to purchase an empty property, or force it to be sold without the owner’s consent.
For more information on these powers, and when they can be used, please refer to the Empty Homes Strategy which can be viewed on the following link: Conwy Empty Homes Strategy (PDF)
Or on any of the following websites: