Report Empty Homes
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leah
Posts: 9
Joined: Oct 2007
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27-11-2008 05:33 PM
Just seen this on an email alert at work
http://reportemptyhomes.com/
Seems like a sensible idea if it works give the shortage of homes in London. People may like to use for local properties?
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AMFM
Posts: 306
Joined: Oct 2007
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27-11-2008 07:51 PM
I bet squatters love that website!
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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27-11-2008 08:12 PM
Despite working in housing I have always found this kind of thing highly objectionable as it encourages people to spy on others. If someone is fortunate to have spare properties sitting around doing nothing then as I see it it is their business and no one elses. There are probably good reasons why properties stand empty, perhaps as someone has died and there are inheritance issues, waiting for probate, etc, or the property is scheduled for refurbishment and /or sale. Identifying empty properties in this way does not mean that they will be productively brought into use for homeless families. More likely is that they will be targetted by the many squatters groups who will be avidly reading sites like these, as someone has already said. It is also all too easy for someone to falsly put someones home onto this website as it doesn't seem that a lot of checking of facts goes on before they appear on the web.
Efforts are better spent promoting and publicising current and available private sector leasing schemes.
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philip
Posts: 32
Joined: Mar 2005
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09-12-2008 08:57 AM
Yes, that website does look like a magnet for squatters. To report an empty home in Forest Hill, call Nick Long on 8314 8381. (If it's in the little bit of SE23 in Southwark call 7525 4002).
Look out for the report of the Sustainable Development Select Committee (of which I'm a member) on empty private property in Lewisham Borough in Jan/Feb. See the documents links on the bottom right of the following webpage.
http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/overviewandscrutiny
Best
Philip
cllr_philip.peake@lewisham.gov.uk
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