In a bid to tackle the ongoing housing shortage, Hillingdon Council is set to launch its ‘Housing Buy-back Scheme’.
The initiative aims to boost housing stock by offering market value for vacant homes. The scheme will be officially unveiled at an open day scheduled for Saturday, 4 November, from 10am to 12pm at the main reception of the Civic Centre in Uxbridge.
Under this scheme, the council will offer to purchase vacant properties, especially those left unoccupied due to the passing away of the owner.
In cases where homes remain unoccupied for an extended period, the council will provide a competitive leasing agreement. During the leasing period, the council will take care of all repairs and, in some cases, invest in refurbishments to ensure that the properties are returned in the same or even better condition.
Leased homes will be fully managed by the council. Residents, landlords, and family members of residents are encouraged to attend the open day in November.
It will be an opportunity to meet the team behind the Housing Buy-back Scheme, gather detailed information, and have any questions answered.
For those seeking more information about the Housing Buy-back Scheme or details about the upcoming open day, inquiries can be directed to housingbuyback@hillingdon.gov.uk or by visiting www.hillingdon.gov.uk/buy-back-scheme.
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “We’re determined to create a borough with safe, strong communities where residents have access to good homes.
“There’s currently a desperately acute need for housing across London and local authorities are being forced to think outside the box for ways to create new housing stock.
“Our ongoing homes extension programme is one example of how where we’ve had to be creative to increase the number of larger homes we can make available to our residents.
“Now, we also have our Housing Buy-back Scheme, offering market value for properties that would otherwise lay vacant, which helps no one, or they might be on the market for an unknown length of time.
“We’ll cut out the red tape and estate agents, with a dedicated team that will work quickly to get these vital homes back into use for families in genuine need.”
