Liverpool extends 'Homes for £1' deadline

Published by Brian Church for 24dash.com in Housing

Liverpool city council has extended its 'Homes for £1' deadline by a week to let as many people as possible apply.

A total of 20 residents will be chosen to buy a property for just £1. The original deadline for expressions of interest was Wednesday 27 February but the council has now extended this to Wednesday 6 March.

The council says the move follows an "overwhelming response" to the plans, which will see 20 homes sold for a pound each in the Granby Four Streets, Arnside Road and Webster Triangle East areas of the city. More than 2,000 people have contacted the council to enquire about the scheme since it was announced just over a week ago.

The pilot scheme forms part of the wider plans to bring 179 homes back into use in the Kensington, Granby and Picton areas of Liverpool. The plans will also include the development of an 'Own Place' model, which will see the council transferring vacant properties to The Riverside Group, who will refurbish them and offer them for sale at 25 percent less than market value.

Councillor Ann O’Byrne, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: "We’ve been really pleased with the response to these plans. We’ve been absolutely swamped with calls, so we have decided to extend the deadline to make sure that every single person who is interested has the opportunity to apply."

Residents who are successful in obtaining a home will be expected to refurbish it to Decent Homes Standard, which means they must be in a reasonable state of repair, be warm, weatherproof and have reasonably modern facilities. They would also be required to live in the property for five years and not sub-let it within that time.

The winners will be announced in May.