Trafford Council targets 1,200 empty homes for housing

A total of 1,262 homes in Trafford have been unoccupied for more than six months.

The Empty Homes and Leasing Scheme, launched by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, is providing almost £500,000 in funding for Trafford.

The council will have two empty homes officers targeting empty and unused property in Trafford to bring longer-term empty homes back into use.

Trafford Council is urging property owners with empty homes to lease them out to help with the local housing shortage.

Appropriate repair grant funding will also be available.

The scheme requires the council to demonstrate both financial and social returns on its investments, and property owners will be expected to maintain their properties.

Councillor George Devlin, Trafford Council's executive member for housing and advice, said: "There is a national shortage of good-quality accommodation for those who need it, yet there are many homes sitting empty.

"The Council wants to talk to people whose relatives have passed away leaving property and those with second homes who may no longer want or need them as well as private and social landlords, and people who have become 'accidental landlords' through other circumstances.

"We will look at barriers to occupation such as delays with inheritance and the condition of empty homes then come up with case-by-case solutions."

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Homes must have been empty for six months or more to be eligible for the initiative.

Two or three-bedroom homes will be most in demand.

Anyone who owns or knows of empty property that could be included in this initiative can contact estates@trafford.gov.uk.