Buying

Buying an empty property can provide an excellent opportunity for people who are looking for a property to renovate themselves.  Although knowing where to start and how to negotiate can be a daunting prospect for many.  The West of England Empty Property Partnership are able to offer advice and support to help navigate potential home-buyers through the process.

I have seen an empty property I would like to purchase

·        We are unable to disclose information on owners of empty properties. However the Empty Homes Officer can pass on details to the owner if we have managed to trace them. The owner can then contact you if they are interested in selling. Any agreement subsequently reached between you and such a purchaser would be a strictly private arrangement in which the council would play no part. 

·        Alternatively see below on ‘How can I trace the owner of an empty property?’ to first find the owner

·        Contact the owner to find out if they are interested in selling

·        Agree a purchase price. Owners often ask for the market cost, less the costs of any refurbishment needed to the property

·        Once this is agreed you can follow the normal steps for buying a property. Put down a deposit, arrange any mortgage required, have the property surveyed conduct local authority and land registry searches, and other legal functions carried out by solicitors.

·        Purchasing an empty property can sometimes be a long and difficult process, with no guarantees, and there may be complicated reasons why the property is empty.

How can I trace the owner of an empty property?

·        Post a notice on the property stating you would like to contact the owner

·        Speak to the neighbours, community groups or neighbourhood watch groups- they may know something about who owns the property

·        Contact the Council’s Planning department to see if any planning applications have been submitted, or consult the planning register (also available on website)

·        If the property is in a rural area the local parish council’s parish clerk may have some knowledge

·        Carry out a search of the District Land Registry- this contains information on all owners of registered land (cost approx £4). However address of owner is often the same as the empty property. Contact 020 79178888 or go on line to www.landregisteronline.gov.uk

·        If you have the owners name you could use a search agency, which can be found in the yellow pages under ‘Detective Agencies’. They would charge a fee.

Can I obtain a list of empty properties in the area?

Local authorities in the West of England Empty Property Partnership all have a policy where they do not disclose information/ lists of empty properties due to the data protection act.  Requests can be made in writing to the Empty Homes Officer citing the Freedom of Information Act 2000 if they wish to have a formal response to this request.

The Council is however endeavoring to assist owners of empty properties who wish to sell, by putting them in contact with developers or individuals who are interested in purchasing these properties.  The West of England Empty Property Partnership has therefore compiled a list of developers or interested purchasers that we can send to owners who wish to sell their empty property. 

If you would like more information about this or would like to have your details included in the list, please go to Interested Purchasers/Developers List.

How can I tell if a property is empty?

The following are signs that a property may have been empty long term, especially if there is a combination of factors:

·        Property has been boarded up

·        A large amount of uncollected post building up

·        Garden is not being maintained- eg overgrown, rubbish being dumped and not removed

·        Signs of disrepair or external damage eg broken window, vandalism

·        Neighbours may be able to provide information

·        Check the electoral roll at local library or town hall to see if anyone is registered to vote