Empty Property and Community Aid (Hansard, 21 March 1989)

§ Mr. Ken Hargreaves (Hyndburn)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require local authorities to take steps to identify empty houses and to put them to good use. Just 12 months ago, I introduced a similar Bill in an attempt to ensure maximum use of housing accommoda-tion available in both public and private sectors. In view of the number of homeless families in this country, it was disappointing and unfortunate that that Bill did not receive a Second Reading. It was disappointing and unfortunate, too, that the Government's proposed amendments last year to cover the proposals in my Bill relative to local authority dwellings were ruled to be outside the scope of the Governments' own Housing Bill.

Since then the problem of homelessness has continued to increase. In 1988, 116,060 households in England were classed as homeless—a 3 per cent. increase on the previous year and more than double the total recorded in 1978, when the homeless persons legislation came into effect.

I received a letter yesterday from the chairman of the development committee of the Catholic Housing Aid Society. Lord Hylton wrote: Over the past few months we have become increasingly concerned with our capacity to cope with the growing number of homeless people and families. It is a massive task and we are now receiving an average of 115 calls for assistance every day from different parts of the country. In 1988, more homeless households were placed in bed and breakfast and emergency accommodation than ever before. That is an unsatisfactory and expensive way of trying to deal with the problem of homelessness. A situation in which so many people are homeless is bad enough, but when there are more empty properties than homeless households it is ludicrous and scandalous.

In 1987, there were 707,294 empty dwellings in England alone. I accept that even if all the empty properties were brought back into use, the problem of homelessness would not be totally solved. Many properties are the wrong size and in the wrong place, but empty properties in areas of housing need where there is an unmet demand for housing are a wasted resource.

This Bill has one aim—to ensure the maximum use of houses that are left empty, often for many years. The mere existence of such a large number of empty properties—I have given the figures—despite continued public concern, is evidence enough that a new initiative is needed. This measure gives us an opportunity to act. If, by implementing the proposals, we were able to help only those people living in bed and breakfast accommodation, where family life is impossible, the Bill would be worthwhile and justified, but the proposals go further than that. The Bill attempts also to deal with properties allowed to lie empty and derelict for many years, abandoned by their owners and causing worry, distress, danger and financial loss to those unfortunate enough to live near them. All hon. Members have examples of derelict properties in their constituencies. In mine, there is a serious problem with empty properties—in Rishton, Oswaldtwistle and Accrington—properties which it some cases have been empty for more than 30 years. Efforts to have the properties improved have not been successful and 929 short of using compulsory purchase orders, the local authority has little power to act and a great deal of staff time is wasted.

The Bill would require local authorities to register all empty residential property and to provide the Secretary of State for the Environment with an annual statement of their strategy for bringing back into use any empty properties that they own. It would oblige councils to allow community groups, such as housing associations and other voluntary bodies, to use empty properties in council possession for housing homeless families unless the council could show good reason why the properties were empty. It would allow local authorities to guarantee loans made by building societies to enable empty houses to be repaired, the loans being repaid by the occupants as though they were rent or mortgage payments.

The Bill would give councils a new power, similar to the control order provision in the Housing Act 1964, to put empty property use orders on long-term empty properties. That would allow local authorities working, for example, with housing associations to make use of such properties to house homeless people for up to five years if the owner of the property could not show good reason why the property was empty. Private owners whose property was brought back into use by means of an empty property use order would benefit in real terms with the passage of years by the material improvement to their property, particularly as building society funds would be used substantially to improve the property.

The power to use empty property use orders on empty properties is a lesser power than already exists. At present, councils use compulsory purchase orders, which allow the expropriation of properties by the council for ever. Empty property use orders would permit local authorities to use houses for up to five years only, returning them to the owners in better condition than before. It is, therefore, a less extreme measure than a compulsory purchase order. It is a less drastic and more flexible weapon with which to counter the problems often caused by empty properties and, because it is used at a much earlier stage, it will result in the saving of houses before they become derelict and often beyond repair.

The Bill has wide support from local authorities and hon. Members across the political spectrum. With more than 700,000 properties empty in England alone and so many people homeless, there is an urgent need for action. The Bill would give homes and hope to many people now homeless and it would make a real contribution to reducing the eyesores that we see in our towns and cities. Its provisions would benefit not only the homeless but neighbours, residents and ratepayers. I hope that the House will support it as a small step forward in dealing with the major and growing problems of homelessness and derelict property.