Empty Homes Officer In Post In Highland
22nd November 2021
The Highland Council is working in partnership with the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership to proactively bring privately-owned empty homes across the Highlands back into use.
With funding support from the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, the Council has been able to employ a full-time Empty Homes Officer for a two-year period.
It is the responsibility of homeowners to maintain their property and to keep it in good order. However, there are many reasons why properties become empty long term and the Council, with support from the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, wants to help owners to bring these homes back into use.
Jonathan Henderson has been appointed and as the Council's Empty Homes/Private Rented Sector Liaison Officer. He will be providing advice and assistance to people who are stressed or struggling to deal with an empty home. This will include engaging with owners to understand why a property is empty and offering practical solutions and advice to turn it into a home again.
Talking about his new role he said: "I am looking forward to contributing to Highland Council’s efforts to continue improving housing access for all. We know that the private sector, including the owners of empty homes, can play a significant part in the provision of housing options so my role will be to work in partnership with communities and owners right across the Highlands to make that contribution. I am going to find it very rewarding to work with owners to bring empty properties back into use and to provide homes for people who need them."
By having a dedicated person in post, The Highland Council and the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership recognise the importance and value of bringing empty properties back into use and the positive contribution made towards housing supply.
Shaheena Din, National Project Manager for Scottish Empty Homes Partnership said: “We are delighted The Highland Council has decided to appoint an Empty Homes Officer who will work to bring empty properties back in to use so they can become someone’s home. In the last year alone, Empty Homes Officers helped bring 851 homes back in to use but with over 47,000 such properties across the country there is so much more that needs to be done.”
“Evidence gathered by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership from across Scotland shows the positive impact of having a specialist member of staff dedicated to supporting owners and neighbours in tackling empty homes and developing an empty homes strategy can have. I am looking forward to what Jonathan will be able to achieve in the Highlands and the contribution that will make across the country.”
The Vice Chair of The Highland Council’s Housing and Property Committee, Cllr Laurie Fraser added: “It doesn’t make financial sense to allow properties to remain empty and deteriorate. The costs of empty homes to the local economy impact on both the community and the council. Community impacts include reduction in property values, anti-social behaviour, vandalism, increased levels of stress and anxiety and a loss of community pride. By bringing empty properties back into use we can help to reverse these negative effects and increase the supply of much needed housing in our communities.”
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Households across Scotland have received £4.1 billion in relief since the Council Tax Reduction scheme was introduced in 2013. People on low incomes are eligible for the benefit if they live in Scotland - there is no equivalent in England where most councils require each household to contribute a minimum amount of council tax, irrespective of ability to do so.
The Highland Council is preparing to carry out improvement works in Thurso at Ormlie Road and at The Mall riverside path adjacent to Janet Street. The scope of works on Ormlie Road will include junction improvements between Castlegreen Road and Juniper Drive with new drop kerbs and tactile paving and some surface repairs.
A Highland-wide partnership launched earlier in 2024 to support people on their journey towards, into and within employment is looking forward to a New Year in 2025 full of exciting opportunities designed to help hundreds more people across the Highlands unlock their work potential. Work.
The Highland Council is delighted to share that its Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme has won the Outstanding Project Award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards. Described by Scottish Renewables as a "pioneering clean power scheme", this £7 million project demonstrates the incredible impact that can be achieved through combined public and private sector investment.
The ambitious yet focused ‘Highland Investment Plan' is committed to addressing our asset challenges over the next twenty years. By using a place based approach, to ensure a more integrated community offering through the creation of new community facilities.
Applications to the Inverness Winter Payments Scheme, which is fully funded by the Inverness Common Fund, have already been awarded to 1,035 eligible households within the 7 specified Inverness Wards. Leader of Inverness Area, Councillor Ian Brown said: "Since the Scheme was opened to applications for this winter, already £114,885 has been awarded to people who live in the eligible Wards of Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness West, Inverness Central, Inverness Ness-side, Inverness Millburn, Culloden and Ardersier and Inverness South Wards.
The first Highland-wide virtual jobs fair held last month has proved to be a hit with participants and businesses. The week-long virtual event, which was delivered by the Local Employability Partnership for the West - The Highland Council, Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Department for Work and Pensions, Developing the Young Workforce and UHI North West and Hebrides was timed to coincide with Scottish Careers Week 2024.
The Service Centre will close at 5pm on Tuesday 24 December, re-opening on Friday 27 December (opening times 8am to 5pm). It will be closed on 1 and 2 January and open 8am to 5pm from Friday 3 January 2025.
