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Abandoned properties

Abandoned properties make area look untidy and unsightly.

Unfortunately, some of our tenants just leave their properties, often without telling us. It may be some time before we find out. This means that someone on our waiting list may have to wait longer before they get a home.

Have you seen an abandoned property?

We want to know if you spot an empty property. The quicker we know about one the quicker we can get something done about it. Our patch managers and other staff are always on the look out for abandoned homes but people who live in an area can see what is happening on a day to day basis.

You can give us your details if you want us to get back to you and let you know what is happening with the property. You can also report an abandoned property to us anonymously but we will not be able to tell you how the situation is progessing. You can use this form for both council and privately owned properties. Many homes on our estates have ex-council homes as well as council-owned ones but when they are abandoned they can attract vandalism and other damage. This, in turn, makes the area look unsightly.

What we do with our abandoned properties

When you tell us about a possible abandoned property, we will visit the property and check whether it is still council owned or a privately owned property. We will then arrange for all necessary investigations to be carried out and relet the property through HomeLink if the tenant is not coming back.

Abandoned private properties

If the City Council does not own the property, we will refer any possible abandoned properties to Nottingham City Council. They will investigate the situation thoroughly. It can take a long time, often many months, to try and trace the owner. It is common for no-one to know where the owner has gone until further investigations are done.

Once we know who owns the property we will ask for their co operation to bring the house back into use and deal with any associated issues, such as fly tipping, broken windows and overgrown hedges and lawns.

If you find a property you think is abandoned, contact your local housing office. .

For private properties you can contact:

• Environmental Health at Nottingham City Council
• the Empty Homes Agency. This is an independent organisation which works with various agencies to try to get empty properties back into use.