Reply to
«Dnadname»
«Dnadorg»
«Dnadaddr1»
«Dnadaddr2»
«Dnadaddr3»
«Dnadaddr4»
«DnadaddrC»
«Dnadaddr5»
«Aoffname»
«Aaofforg»
«Aaoffadd2»
«Aaoffadd3»
«Aaoffadd4»
«Aaoffadd5»
Telephone «Aofftel»
Email
«Aoffemail»
Date
Dear «DnadnameA» «DnadnameD»,
Re:
Bristol City Council Empty Properties and Sites Initiative
«Padds_singleline»
A typical rented house in Bristol will have brought its owner £12,000 in rent over the past 2
years
We understand that you own the above property and that it has now been empty for approximately
two years. We have written to you in the past to let you know of the ‘No Use Empty’ service and
are writing to you now to ask what your plans are for the future of the property so that we can
update our records. We would be grateful if you could do this by completing the attached
questionnaire and returning it to us in the enclosed prepaid envelope. Or if you would prefer,
please let us have answers by email – [email protected] or ring us on 0117 3521805
and we can complete the questionnaire for you over the ‘phone.
Enclosed is a leaflet listing the ways in which we may be able to help and you may also find it
useful to visit the website No Use Empty West (www.no-use-empty-west.co.uk) which contains a
wide range of advice and information on bringing empty property back into use.
One way of using a property to bring a regular income that is becoming increasingly popular with
owners is to lease it out for a period. The Council works with a number of social housing
organisations that will lease properties from owners for a period of some years, making the owner
a regular, guaranteed lease payment, taking all responsibility off the owner for letting and
management and then returning the property in good, lettable condition at the end of the lease
period. Some of these leasing schemes additionally bring in government money to refurbish
properties needing work at the outset.
Now that your property has been empty for two years you should also be aware of the programme
of action that the council takes to bring longer-term empty properties back into use. The Council
has the power to take Empty Dwelling Management Order action on longer-term empty
properties; and for those properties that have been empty for longest the Council takes
compulsory purchase action.
If you would like this document in large print, by email, in braille, on CD, as a BSL DVD, in Easy
Team/Service Area
Service Manager's Name
Private Housing and Accessible Homes Mr Tom Gilchrist - Service Manager
Website
www.bristol.gov.uk
English with pictures or in community languages, please contact this office on the details shown
above.
Please advise the case officer if you have any access needs or require any assistance completing
any forms or other paperwork we may send as part of our procedures in bringing empty properties
back into use. If you would like to meet to discuss the matter further please contact the above
named officer to make a suitable appointment.
This letter has been sent to you as we believe you are responsible for the property. Please contact
us as detailed above if you would rather we dealt with a representative who will act on your behalf.
We will require written authorisation from yourself and a letter of agreement from the person you
nominate.
You may wish to take this letter to your solicitor, or to a Citizen's Advice Bureau or Law Centre for
advice. For free, impartial advice you can contact Bristol Citizens Advice located at 1 Quay Street,
Bristol, BS1 2JL, Tel 0844 4994718 Mon-Fri 10-1.
I would be grateful if you could return the attached questionnaire, or contact me by email or ‘phone,
as soon as possible to let me know about your intentions for the future of the property. If at any
point you would like to know more about the ‘No Use Empty’ service please let us know.
Yours sincerely,
«Aaoffname»
«Aaoffjob»
Empty property questionnaire
Please complete and return to «Aaofforg», Freepost RTKJ-SGBZ-ULSH, «Aaoffadd2»,
«Aaoffadd3», «Aaoffadd4», «Aaoffadd5» or email back to: [email protected]
Any questions you may have in completing this questionnaire please contact the Empty
Property Unit Tel: 0117 352 1805
Address of empty property
If these are not the correct contact
details please write corrections here.
(Phone number and email address are
helpful in addition to postal address)
When did the property become empty?
Why is the property still empty?
(Examples might be: lack of finance,
planning issues, ill health, concern about
renting out, ownership uncertain, etc)
When do you hope to have the
property occupied?
When it is occupied will it be rented or
will you or a member of your family
occupy the property?
The Council may be able to offer help
and advice and in some cases financial
assistance. Please contact us if you
would be interested in receiving more
information about this.
Signed
Print name
Date
«Padds_singleline»
Equalities Monitoring Form
Bristol City Council is committed to making equal opportunities a reality in the provision of all of our
services. We need to know who our customers are to check that everyone in the city is accessing
the services they are entitled to and that no-one is discriminated against unlawfully. Information
provided will be treated confidentially and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and only
used to ensure that everyone is treated fairly.
Every year, each service gathers information about its customers to check whether the service is
reaching all communities and takes action if necessary. Data on uptake of council services by
equalities communities is published on our website at www.bristol.gov.uk/equality
All questions are voluntary and it will not make any difference to the service you receive if you do not
answer them. However, by answering the questions you will help us to ensure that our services are
fair and accessible to all.
1 How would you describe your ethnic origin? (Please tick)
White
English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British ( )
Irish ( )
Gypsy (including English, Scottish and Roma Gypsy) or Irish Traveller ( )
Eastern European ( )
Any other White background
(please describe) ____________________
Mixed / multiple ethnic groups
White and Black Caribbean ( )
White and Black African (non Somali) ( )
White and Asian ( )
Any other Mixed/multiple ethnic background
(please describe) _________________
Asian / Asian British
Indian ( )
Pakistani ( )
Bangladeshi ( )
Chinese ( )
Any other Asian background
(please describe) ____________________
Black / African / Caribbean / Black British
African (non Somali) ( )
Somali ( )
Caribbean ( )
Any other Black / African / Caribbean background (please describe) ________________
Other ethnic groups
Arab ( )
Iranian ( )
Iraqi ( )
Kurdish ( )
Turkish ( )
Any other ethnic group (please describe) ____________________
Prefer not to say ( )
2 What is your gender?
Female ( )
Male ( )
Prefer not to say ( )
3 Are you transgender?
(Is your gender identity different from the gender you were assigned at birth?)
Yes ( )
No ( )
Prefer not to say ( )
4 What is your age group?
15 or under ( )
65 to 74 ( )
16 to 24 ( )
75 and over
25 to 49 ( )
50 to 64 ( )
()
Prefer not to say ( )
5 Do you consider yourself to be a disabled person?
Yes ( )
No ( )
Prefer not to say ( )
5b It helps us to know whether we are reaching all disabled people, please can you tick the relevant
impairment (disability) group below and you are welcome to tick more than one box if appropriate.
Physical impairment ( )
Visual impairment ( ) Hearing impairment ( )
Deaf BSL user ( )
Learning difficulties ( )
Specific learning difficulties like dyslexia ( )
Mental and emotional distress ( )
A health condition e.g hiv, multiple sclerosis, cancer ( )
Prefer not to say ( )
6 Please say how you would you usually describe your sexual orientation?
Lesbian ( )
Heterosexual
Gay ( )
(straight) ( )
Bisexual ( )
Prefer not to say ( )
7 What is your religion? (Each category includes all denominations and sects)
No religion ( )
Christian ( )
Buddhist ( )
Hindu ( )
Jewish ( )
Muslim ( )
Sikh ( )
Any other religion or belief
Prefer not to say ( )
(Please describe) _____________________
8 I do not wish to provide any of the information requested on this form
()
No Use Empty West
How Bristol City Council can help you bring your empty property back into use.
Here at the council, there are many ways that we can offer you advice and assistance to help you
decide what to do with your empty property. Over the last few years, the No Use Empty West team
has been working hard to help people bring houses back into use right across Bristol. Here are some
of the ways we can help.
How we can help
Offer guidance to Empty
Property Owners about
options available to them
Offer significant financial
assistance if your property
has been empty over 6
months.
VAT Exemption
Thinking of Renting Your
Property?
We can offer guidance to first time
landlords who are unsure about how
to take their first steps in the property
business. As well as offering advice
we can carry out a free inspection of
your property to advise on works that
might be needed to bring the
property up to a standard for letting.
You can also download a copy of the
Landlord Manual at
www.privatehousinginformation.co.uk
Thinking of Selling The
Property?
We can offer general
advice about selling your
property as well as
carrying out a free
inspection to advise you of
what works might be
needed.
Two types of Empty Property Loans
available if you want to rent.
Empty Property Loan if you
want to re-develop to sell.
Option 1: up to £15K per unit
(maximum of 2 units) if you want to
renovate and let your property and
want to spread the cost over 10yrs.
£15K per unit up to a
maximum of £60K.
Available as a short term
loan only and must be
repaid within 2years or
Option 2: up to £15K per unit with a
upon sale of the property,
maximum of £60K per development if whichever is the sooner.
you want to spread the cost over
(Available for residential
5yrs or less. (Available for residential and commercial
and commercial conversion).
conversion).
(Conditions apply in both cases,
(Conditions apply, contact
contact us for more information)
us for more information)
Interest rate fixed at 4%
Interest rate fixed at 4%
We can provide VAT Exemption
Letters if your property has been
empty over 2yrs which may enable
you to pay Vat at reduced rate
(currently 5% or 0% if property has
been empty over 10yrs)
We can provide VAT
Exemption Letters if your
property has been empty
over 2yrs which may
enable you to pay Vat at
reduced rate (currently 5%
or 0% if property has been
empty over 10yrs)
Free advertising that your
property is for sale and
access to a “Developers
List”
We can advertise your
property free of charge on
the No-Use-Empty West
Website.
We also maintain a list of
interested
Purchasers/Developers
who are interested in
purchasing empty
properties and can put you
in touch with them.
Help you to pick a suitable
Letting agent.
We can give you advice on letting
agents in your area and of Landlord
Associations who can give you
further information.
Tenant Finder
This is a scheme run by Bristol City
Council and includes 6 week deposit
bond, property checks, assessed
tenants ready to move in and
tenancy support.
For more information visit
www.bristol.gov.uk/tenantfinder
Private Sector Leasing
Schemes
This is a really good option for
owners who don’t want the hassle of
managing their property.
We can refer you to Partner Housing
Organisations who have schemes in
the Bristol Area. Lease periods from
1 year plus
Lease and Repair Schemes
Some Partner Housing Organisations
also have schemes whereby they
can help with the cost of any
necessary repairs as well as leasing
your property. We can put you in
touch with them. Average lease
periods 5 to 7 years
Purchase and Repair
Schemes
or
Sale to local charitable
organisation
Some Partner Housing
Organisations and
Charitable Organisations
are interested in buying
empty properties and
carrying out renovation
works. Some of these
organisations offer training
schemes to support people
to get into employment
You can find more information on all of these services on the No Use Empty West website at:
www.no-use-empty-west.co.uk or contact the Empty Property Unit on 0117 352 5010