howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
we keep hearing about housing shortages and how new developments are needed.
so why is this one at the junction of my road and clarendon place written off?
i do not know who owns it only that he/she has never been particular at the choice of tenants.
always seemed to be in need of maintenance, back on my hobby horse of dire landlords, this is different though, no revenue from the tax payer coming in anymore.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Good question, Howard. Dover has many permanently empty accomodations, would be interesting to point this out to DDC planning department.
Not that they don't know, though.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Interesting programme recently in the mornings onBBCabout empty houses - just goes to show that it isn't easy for the Council just to walk in and take over a building, they don't have ££££m sat there to buy them and they can mostly facilitate to help bring them back into use
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
That's also true, Paul. However, the demand for houses in Dover is well below the offer of houses on sale, as can be seen when passing estate-agency windows in the town-centre.
I tried pointing this out to DDC in my representaion in November last year.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
my concern is not with councils more with the owner.
what is the point of having an asset not earning money?
the council could do vital repairs and debit the owner as far as i undestand.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
If I am not mistaken on this one, the Council could do that if there is an accute demand for housing in the area, which is not Dover's case.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Demand goes up and down, so just because demand is down at the moment doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare for the future.
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
just to let you know Horward many years ago when I was just a young lad that was the Mayor of Dover house and I was living in Westbury Rd num/34.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
When out canvassing I found a Council house with 3 bedrooms that has been empty for over 2 years,phoned the Council to find out why,and because it had equipment in there as it was a house that dealt with old people next door and had the alarms in there had not be rented,on to the case will be back on the market next month.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
There are a number of empty houses along the Clarendons - Place and Street, under-going repairs and refurbishment, so some landlords are trying to bring them back into a habitable state.
Part of the problem is the type of people who they put in their properties - they will get their benefits and the landlord will get his rent paid direct to him, so generally he isn't worried, but it certainly doesn't help the local people, the community living round them.
Many are transient people and move on after a few months but can leave the house as a wreck.
When this happens, too often the income from the rent is far out-weighed by the cost of repairs, so it may get left for a while until the landlord can afford it.
If he's a landlord who has lots of properties, then more than likely he will be able to afford it.
Many of them are unscrupulous and don't care what conditions people live under - I saw one last year where maggots were coming out of the ground between the front door and the porch door and there were young people living in the house.
Needless to say it was followed up and the landord made to sort it out.
Roger
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Not always the case Roger,my daughter lived in a place with her baby with a hole in the roof,and water coming in,when she complained the Landlord threatened to sand in the heavys and even named the family to kick her and the baby out.
She stood firm and I was there when the heavys were meant to arrive as a Dad and a Councillor,when a man arrived he seemed a bit put off having a Councillor there and phoned a builder who came round and said you have a hole in the roof.
Needless to say my daughter moved as soon as she could because of her landlord and threats,she worked hard on that house and it was better when she left than when she arrived.But move to another landlord who seems to care,so dont always blame the tenant sometimes it is the Landlord,who gets his rent and dont want to spend on the property to make it livable but uses threats to intimidate the tenants
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 694- Registered: 22 Mar 2010
- Posts: 778
isnt there a piece of legislation we can use to make the landlords make the improvements and get it back on the market.. thought there was?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
there is jenni, i can never remember the name of it.
roger will know it only too well.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
yes there is but it takes years for enforcement .There are loans available to help but again if the one does not come forward there is not much to be done .It took years for the one in Granvile Street to be restored and we also had one in Hardwick Road .
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Section 215 of the Town & Country Planning Act gives councils powers to require property owners to clean up their land and buildings. Many councils use the Act to good effect but DDC has NEVER issued a s215 notice during the 21 years that the law has been on the statute book. There is no excuse for the planning department failing to act, it is a disgrace. It only takes years if your local Planning Dept does absolutely nothing about it.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
you wil start vic off now, his specialist subject is the d.d.c. planning department.
however why do other towns deal with the problem and we don't?
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
I'm sure Vic will answer that one in his own unique way.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Dover is a derprived area and there are lots of rundown places in many towns,... Dover isn't unique !!
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
neither is hastings, even more problems than dover.
however they have made great strides in getting rundown properties up to standard.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
yes you are right Peter The planning office at Dover at its very best is bad.It has cost Dover many development,and cost the poor council tax payer many £1000s,and companys that end up waliking away from Dover ,and jobs going with them.I even have one inthe pot coming up soon .
