Empty home to house local family

12 August 2011

A local family has benefited from South Lakeland District Council’s policy of finding empty homes in South Lakeland and giving them a new lease of life.  The council was granted an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) for an empty and neglected property in Kendal and worked with South Lakes Housing (SLH) to renovate the property and bring it up to a suitable standard for letting.

On Monday 15 August at 1.00pm, the council’s Principal Housing Renewal Officer, Merrill Tummey and Empty Homes Officer, Lynne Gilbertson, will be handing over the keys to the new tenant, Mr Kitching, at 12 Mintsfeet Road in Kendal. 

SLDC’s Empty Homes Officer, Lynne Gilbertson, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to renovate this long-standing empty property and offer it to a local family looking for a home.  The property had been vandalised and had been a source of anxiety to the surrounding community for a long time, so the council stepped in and took action to bring this empty home back into use.  The immediate neighbours are relieved that it is no longer a concern to them, as it will once again be occupied and cared for.” 

Only forty EDMO’s have been granted throughout the whole of the UK.  An EDMO lasts for an initial period of seven years and the owner remains the owner of the property throughout this period.  SLH will be managing the property on the council’s behalf and all rental income will be used to pay for the cost of the management and renovation.