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Peter Black, Welsh Lib Dem housing spokesperson, will today urge the Assembly government to take action to combat the rising number of people on affordable housing waiting lists across Wales by bringing thousands of empty houses back into use.
Peter Black will also urge the Housing Minister to amend legislation so that owners of empty houses should be forced to pay higher council tax on empty dwellings or make the make the house available for renting.
Research by the Welsh Liberal Democrats has revealed that in 2006-2007, there were nearly 18,000 empty dwellings in Wales. With a total of 87,000 households waiting for affordable housing, providing a clear strategy of how local authorities and housing associations can take control over these houses would give thousands of families a proper place they can call their home.
Welsh Lib Dem-led Swansea Council is about to pass the first Empty Dwelling Management Order which would mean that the Council could take over a property that has been abandoned for over 6 months
and use it for social housing.
Peter Black said: “It is unimaginable that we are still in a situation where the number of people on housing waiting lists is still rising and we still have thousands of empty homes in Wales.
“The Housing Minister should look at ways of making owners of empty houses pay more council tax on their property or make use of it to provide more private sector rented properties.
“Just short of 18,000 properties are empty in Wales at any one time, an absolutely staggering number. There is not nearly enough action being taken to return these properties to occupation.
“The Welsh Lib Dem led council in Swansea is leading the way in combating the rising affordable housing problem in Wales.
“Since 2006 not a single Empty Dwelling Management Order has actually been granted. Welsh Liberal Democrat-led Swansea Council is about to pass the first EDMO in Wales. Many local authorities have staved off this using EDMO as it is a long and complicated process, however, they need to be used more across Wales to provide affordable housing.
“Swansea Council must be applauded for their groundbreaking action on taking empty houses and making them available to people who want them.
“Every house that is empty is a wasted opportunity to give a family a proper place they can call home.”
