New powers to take over private homes (From Surrey Comet)

New powers to take over private homes

11:35am Tuesday 4th July 2006 in News By Yvonne Gordon

Landlords have one month left until Kingston Council assumes new powers allowing it to take over empty privately-owned homes.

Empty Dwelling Management Orders, (EDMO) which became law in June under the Department for Communities & Local Government, give local authorities the legal power to cut housing waiting lists by taking over the management of properties left empty for more than six months. All profits, minus expenses, still go to the legal owner and the law does not apply to property in probate.

A Kingston Council spokesman said: "Any application for an EDMO has to be approved by the independent Residential Property Tribunal, which will decide if the order should be allowed.

"Kingston Council will only apply for an EDMO as a last resort, when other attempts to bring a property into use have been exhausted."

A property cannot be taken over if it is a main residence or the owner is being cared for elsewhere or is in the armed forces. It also has to be left if it is a second home, is for sale or to let or if plans are being made for its habitation.

To take a property over, the council must ask the owner if there are plans to bring it back into use and cannot proceed if this is the case.

“We will only apply for an EDMO as a last resort, when other attempts to bring a property into use have been exhausted.”

Kingston Council spokesman

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