Empty Homes Strategies in London - Dissertation Example

“What are the extent of the problems and the response to them”? Objectives The study is global in scope since all the challenges and risks involved are regional, as well as global in nature. Due to a few limitations, this study will only focus on challenges and responses of house management in London over the period from 2005 onwards, up till now. The objectives of this study are as outlined here: To evaluate existing local council measures aimed at bringing properties back into use and to assess which additional services or support may be effective.

To gain an understanding of the key issues affecting and causing empty homes including clarification of how empty homes are classified. To estimate the factors that account for the greatest level of empty homes. To study the strategic plan of empty homes management and practical ideas to apply. Introduction Over the recent few years, many housing managing authorities, including World Bank and the United Nation centre for housing settlement, developed a range of universal housing performance measures in terms of its development.

These performance measures are divided into different indicators: housing affordability, housing finance, housing quality, housing production, housing subsidies, and regulatory audit (Robert et al. 1994). These measures are to understand the level of housing performance in markets. There are many reasons for empty homes. They are considered empty while selling, letting, renovating and inheriting. Residents become seriously concerned when homes are left empty for long periods, especially when these homes become a target for burglary and damage.

With time, its appearance declines and it also creates a bad effect on the neighbourhood. Private property is considered as being empty once it has been unoccupied for at least 6 months. This defines the period for inoccupation, beyond which, the house is considered empty (Reading Borough Council, n.d.). Bringing back empty homes to use will benefit owners, residents, the local economy and the wider community. Owners of these homes will get an increased amount of capital on the sale of a home or in the form of rental income by letting the home.

It will also increase the value of the property. Leaving the home empty will make the owner vulnerable to losing their property through fire and there will be an increased probability of crime. Empty properties hurt the prices of neighbourhood homes as it reduces the pride of that area. Empty homes deter investment in an area and thus affect the whole economy. Reducing unsightly properties will help in reducing the opportunity for antisocial behaviour and vandalism (Islington, n.d.).

It will help the whole community as it will reduce the demands on services e.g. Police, Council and Fire to handle the issues and these resources can be used efficiently somewhere else. In the UK there are more than 663,000 empty homes. The proportion of empty homes is lower in Reading as compared to the current national average of 3.5%.