In the past year, Birmingham City Council’s Empty Homes Team has brought 369 empty homes back into use.
Birmingham City Council is encouraging residents to report empty properties to them so they can be brought back into use for National Empty Homes Week, which is taking place from 3 March to 9 March.
Mr Nasir Whaind lived next door to an empty home, which was affecting his family’s life, so he reported it to the council.
The empty home near Kings Heath had become neglected and dilapidated over time. It had also become a haven for rats due to the conditions inside the home and the severely overgrown gardens. Mr Whaind and other neighbours had to take action to stop the rats from entering their home. People were also fly-tipping on the property, and it was broken into.
In response to inaction from the owner at the time and the impact the empty home had on the neighbourhood, the council obtained the empty home next door to Mr Whaind through a Compulsory Purchase Order. The council then sold the home at an auction, which the new owner renovated. The property is now a family home.
Mr Whaind was thankful for the support of the councils empty homes team and said:
“Over time, the empty home impacted our lives quite a lot. The gardens were so overgrown that they affected people walking past and reduced the light that got into our garden. The empty home also had a rat infestation; the council put down traps, but an empty home will always be an invitation.
“The empty home was also broken into, which caused a lot of concern and anxiety for us as I travel often and leave my family on their own. When I reported it to the council, they came to board up the property and secured it.
“The council tried to do everything they could each time we contacted them, and I am very relieved that the situation has now been resolved. It’s a really nice neighbourhood, and it was a waste of space having the home next door empty when it could be a nice home for a family.”
Councillor Jayne Francis, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, visited Mr Whaind to hear about his family’s experience living next door to an empty home. She said:
“Homes that stand empty in Birmingham can be a blight on local communities. They attract fly-tippers, burglars, vandals, and squatters. They can be a cause of anti-social behaviour and are often an eyesore in a neighbourhood, which contributes to the decline of a neighbourhood and devalues other people’s homes who live near them.
“Bringing an empty home back into use helps maintain property values, end anti-social behaviour and improve the sense of pride in a local neighbourhood.
“We will always try to work with owners of empty homes to bring them back into use. However, we will undertake compulsory purchase orders as a last resort to protect people and their communities, as we did so for Mr Whaind.
“It was interesting to meet and hear from Mr Whaind about his family’s experience. Thanks to his reporting the situation to us, I am pleased to say we have brought an empty home back into use, which is vital as we are in the middle of a national housing crisis.”