Empty Homes: housing enforcement

Assistance 

Wherever possible Newcastle City Council will work with the owners of long-term empty properties to bring them back into use, to reduce any possibly negative impacts on the community and to increase the supply of affordable housing in the city.  For more information on how we do this and how you may report an empty property please see our dedicated  empty homes web page

Enforcement

However, unfortunately for a variety of often complex reasons it is not always possible to achieve these desired outcomes informally.  Where empty properties, by virtue of their condition are having a detrimental effect on the community or presenting a risk to health we may be able to take action.  Examples may include buildings that are;

• Open to access
• Verminous
• Blighted by accumulations of waste
• Ruinous and dilapidated
• Becoming a focal point for anti-social behaviour

Where owners neglect their responsibilities, we will seek to investigate and take the appropriate action in the interests of the community.

Such action may involve the service of formal notices requiring works to secure an empty property, works of improvement, pest control etc.

In some cases, it may be necessary for us to enforce the sale of an empty property to recover costs incurred in dealing with the property. 

In exceptional cases, where dwellings have been unoccupied for at least 2 years, all informal attempts to bring the property back into use have failed, there is no reasonable prospect of the dwelling becoming occupied in the near, we may be able to apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO).  EDMOs enable the local authority to take control and manage a residential property.

Should you wish to make a complaint about an empty property please contact us using the details below.

Contact us

For further information, please contact Public Safety and Regulation, City of Newcastle upon Tyne, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH.

Phone: 0191 2787878 Email: psr@newcastle.gov.uk