Homeowners and prospective landlords across the Deepings and Bourne districts of Lincolnshire are being offered grants of up to £5,000 to help bring empty buildings back into use.

As part of a wider effort to help boost the supply of rental homes on the market to cater for growing demand from tenants, South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) is offering the incentive payments, which are part of the government’s £4.8bn Empty Homes Community Grants Programme, to help landlords and building owners re-let properties that they own which have been classed as long-term unoccupied.

“It can be challenging for some owners of homes that have not been maintained over a number of years to bring them back into habitable condition,” said Anne Marie Coulthard, SKDC’s business manager for environmental health.

“Therefore the Government’s Empty Homes Community Grants Programme is a channel to help improve the condition and value of the property and, in some cases, allows landlords to let the property in order to generate an income,” she added.

To qualify for funding from the Empty Homes Community Grants Programme, the property must have been vacant for at least six months and owners must agree to charge rent below the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) weekly rates of between £58.38 and £153.02 for a minimum period of three years. Additionally, the property must be brought back into use within 12 months of work starting.

For more information and an application form contact the Private Sector Housing Team.

No Comments