AQW 53957/11-16

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 08/02/2016
Answered On Date: 16/02/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Social Development for an update on the matching service designed to bring empty homes back into use, in East Londonderry.

Answer:

A matching service scheme to bring privately owned empty homes back into use has been developed by the Housing Executive which is similar to initiatives used by local authorities in other parts of the United Kingdom. The scheme aims to match potential buyers with sellers of privately owned empty houses. To be part of scheme, prospective buyers and sellers are required to register with the Housing Executive to be part of the scheme, using the Empty Homes website (www.emptyhomesni.com).

The scheme went live in September 2015, with the Housing Executive writing to over 500 known owners of empty homes in Northern Ireland advising of the scheme. My Department has also promoted the scheme through the Private Rented Sector newsletter.

In the East Londonderry area there have been no owners of empty homes who have registered their property with the matching service scheme. However, as part of ongoing actions within my Department’s Empty Homes Strategy there have been 42 empty homes reported to the Housing Executive in East Londonderry. Of these, 18 have now been returned into use or demolished, 17 have been blocked up with the owners unable to be contacted, and 7 empty homes where the Housing Executive are seeking the owners to bring them back into use.