Thomas Gould
Question:277. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if new regulations regarding voids have been issued in 2021; and if so, the details of same. [55612/21]
View answerTuesday, 16 November 2021
Questions (277, 278)
Thomas Gould
Question:278. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement he has had with local authorities in relation to voids turnarounds. [55613/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 278 together.
There are estimated to be c.140,000 local authority social housing properties in the State. The proper maintenance of this valuable state asset will not only provide the appropriate levels of comfort to current local authority tenants but will also allow for currently vacant local authority homes to be tenanted as quickly as possible.
While my Department is focused on ensuring that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent, the management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, responsive repairs and implementing planned maintenance programmes, is a matter for each individual local authority, in line with Section 28 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2009.
Notwithstanding the legal obligations on local authorities to manage and maintain their own housing stock, my Department provides Exchequer funding to support local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting under the Voids Programme. Introduced in 2014 with the original aim of tackling long term vacant units, the programme is now increasingly targeted at ensuring minimal turnaround and re-let times for local authority vacant stock.
As per Circular 17/2021, and in line with previous year’s programmes, local authorities were notified that only the minimum works required to comply with the Housing (Private Rented Standards) Regulations, 2019 should be carried out to ensure these properties are turned around as quickly as possible and to maximise the budget available. Furthermore, my Department receives regular updates on the status of each local authority’s programme of works and actively encourages the remediation of all local authority owned vacant properties as expeditiously as possible.
It must also be noted, vacancy figures and turnaround times are impacted by a number of different factors and a portion of the dwellings currently vacant would not necessarily fall into a normal vacancy/void programme for reasons detailed below;
- Dwellings awaiting demolition or major regeneration
- Dwellings vacant and are set aside for sale
- Not for letting pending resolution of legal disputes
- Second hand acquisitions awaiting repairs and vacant pending those repairs
- Repaired and awaiting letting
- New build/Turnkey awaiting letting
It is important to note that my Department and local authorities supported by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) are working to transition from a largely response and voids based approach to housing stock management and maintenance to a planned maintenance approach as referenced in Housing for All, policy objective 20.6. This will require the implementation of centrally hosted ICT system within the LGMA to support the completion of stock condition surveys by all local authorities and the subsequent development of strategic and informed work programmes which will be supported by my Department’s stock improvement funding programmes. It is envisaged surveys will commence early in 2022.
Question No. 278 answered with Question No. 277.