Letting Of Former Cornwall Council Houses To Be Investigated

Cornwall Council has outlined plans to clamp down on former council houses being used as holiday homes. The council has proposed setting up a dedicated investigation and enforcement unit to restrict the practice. Homes sold under the government's Right to Buy scheme are usually restricted from being used as holiday lets or as houses of multiple occupancy so they are protected for use by local people. It is believed there are dozens of homes being advertised online. Read more on the BBC website.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-58570565

Up In Arms: Are We Facing The Death Of The ALMO?

Created by a government now in opposition for a mission that is now almost over, it would be easy to assume that ALMOs are quietly disappearing from the housing scene. In the last few weeks both Sheffield and Islington councils have decided, in principle, to take their ALMOs back in-house. Another 14 councils have already taken back direct control of their council housing, or are in the process of doing so after work on the decent homes programme is complete. But if you were to conclude that we are now facing the death of ALMOs, you would be wrong. In many places, councils have looked at their ALMOs record on delivering services and involving tenants and decided they like what they see. It is hard to verify an exact figure, but records suggest that the majority of the 60 ALMOs that currently exist are likely to continue in some form – often with an expanded role. All of the ALMOs extending their contracts are not just extending the length of the contract but also extending their remit. Meanwhile new ALMOs have sprung up in Welwyn Hatfield and Kent. And councillors in Cornwall puzzling out how to manage housing in a new unitary authority made up of three districts with a stock transfer, two with retained stock and one with an ALMO, have decided to expand the ALMO to cover the whole county and give it more housing functions. Read more of this opinion piece on the Guardian website.

Compulsory Purchase Order Threat to Tackle Problem of Empty Homes

A council with one of the biggest housing shortages in the country is threatening to use compulsory purchase orders against the owners of homes that have been left empty for six months or more. Cornwall council says 3,597 flats and houses in the county have been empty for at least six months – some for many years – and has allocated £2m to spend on persuading owners to bring the them back into use. This does not include the holiday homes that make up 10% of the county's housing stock. Interest-free loans of up to £15,000 can be claimed by owners of two-bed properties that have been empty for six months or more and need substantial work to make them habitable. Owners of one-bed homes can claim up to £7,500. In return, the refurbished homes must be made available for some of the 18,931 households on the council's waiting list. The council is also offering interest-free loans of up to £20,000 to local first-time buyers who purchase long-term unoccupied homes. It cannot be put towards a deposit, but is made available after completion of the purchase for buyers to undertake renovation work. Read more on the Guardian website.

Council Creates New ALMO

Council housing in Cornwall will be managed by a new (ALMO) from April next year. Up until now, council housing in the former district of Carrick has been managed by ALMO Carrick Housing, with homes in the east of Cornwall being managed separately with different operating models. The new ALMO will incorporate the services from Carrick Housing and from the different arms of the council that have been delivering housing services separately. Read more on 24dash.