Hi Bernadette, In the first instance if the property is privately owned there is nothing anyone can do. Having said that, second homes and empty properties are becoming managed by local authorities(on behalf of private landlords) as a means to free up the council waiting list's-although that isn't compulsary. Secondly, any social housing properties(either Council or Housing Ass)are regulated by the government Tenants Services Authority. They require a time frame in which a property is allocated. Voids, as empty properties are called, fall into two catagories; 1,Those that need little repair and are required to be re let quickly, and 2, those that need major repairs-sometimes structural-that need major work. The latter requires major funding and usually would come out of a different funding pot. This funding would hold up works for a longer period. You can check the time frames by asking Hounslow Homes direct. Thirdly, different tenancy agreements would determine the process of eviction. For instance, under a secure tenancy agreement it is extreemly hard for landlords to secure evictions in court and even if agreed by a judge, this could still take up to a year (even if the tenant has done a bunk). I would imagine the new build you are refering to would accomodate an assured tenancy-not much difference though. There are many arms to developers/social landlords and sometimes they let their properties under the private sector. This would mean they can take the tenancy back very easily giving only 2 months notice. Finally, as long as the tenant is paying the rent there is little the council/housing association can do. They do try and prove their tenants might not be living there, but it is very hard to convince the judge if the rent is being paid. In conclusion, however, social landlords are under an obligation to let empty properties within a specific time frame. Hope that helps! Tracy

Entire Thread

Topic	Date Posted	Posted By
Empty Properties in Brentford	18/06/10 08:29:00	Bernadette Paul
Re:Empty Properties in Brentford	18/06/10 16:29:00	Tracy Moles
Re:Re:Empty Properties in Brentford	19/06/10 07:48:00	Bernadette Paul

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