Private Property - Voluntary Acquisition

Description

As part of certain area based housing regeneration projects, which may take place within the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough, the council may need to acquire/purchase homes from either owner-occupiers or private landlords.  The need to acquire such properties would assist in the regeneration process of the particular area. In the vast majority of cases this process is through voluntary negotiations and amicable agreements with owners, and would only be undertaken once extensive local consultation with the owner occupiers/private landlords had been undertaken. 

The Consultation Guarantee

Prior to any housing regeneration project being underaken and agreed, which would aim to give full consideration to improving  the current housing choice/types/quality/condition and environmental quality, the council will complete  formal wholescale consultation with the community on  proposals.  The council will aim to ensure any owner occupier or private landlord may be affected is given a one to one discussion, ensuring all views are collected and reported to the council or it's nominees prior to any decision being made.

Once the council has made a decision then each individual affected would be contacted and the following process will generally be applied subject to council agreement.

Home 'Owner Occupiers'

Where home-owners are affected the council will seek to reach a negotiated settlement, usually agreeing to meet legal and surveyor costs of the individual owner. In the first instance, owner occupiers will receive the agreed market value of their current property.  Owner Occupiers are also entitled to a Compulsory Home Loss payment.  The council will pay a one-off compensation/home loss payment to owners of 10% of the agreed sale price, or £4,000, which ever is the greater (this is the current amount, but this may change subject to governmental reviews of the amount payable)

For Example:-

 If the agreed sale price of the property is £55,000                                                           
 The Owner Occupier would also receive a 10% Home Loss payment of  £5,500 
 Making a total of £60,500

In addition:-  the council will pay the actual costs of moving, known as 'Disturbance costs'.  Some examples of what can be claimed are shown below:- 

• Cost of removing furniture by removal contractor or the cost of van hire and petrol (if owners arrange their own removal), 
• Cost of disconnecting domestic appliances and reconnecting them at the new premises such as cookers/dishwashers and washing machines
• Cost of telephone connection where the owner had a telephone at the former premises
• Cost of removing television aerials and re-erecting at new premises
• Cost of removing/reinstalling a security alarm
• Re-Direction of mail
• It is necessary that receipts are retained in order to apply for Disturbance Costs.

Relocation Appreciation Loan

In addition, those owners who wish to remain in owner occupation, some may require additional financial assistance to bridge the gap between the value of their current property and that of a sustainable replacement.  Barnsley MBC, in December 2005 approved the provision of re-location loans for owner occupiers affected by demolition proposals in the Barnsley Housing Market Renewal areas (Thurnscoe, Goldthorpe, Bolton-on Dearne, Great Houghton and Middlecliffe). 

Private Landlords - the council will meet all reasonable Legal/Surveyor expenses if the property is purchased through a regeneration project.

Private Tenant -  If a tenant is living in a private landlord property, the tenant will be entitled to a 'Homeloss Payment', 'one-off' payment of £4,000 (which is the current amount set by government).  In addition the tenant will be entitled to Disturbance Costs (as shown above) and Enhanced Disturbance, payment towards the costs of decorating the new property.  The council will also assist in finding the private tenant a suitable alternative property, should they require assistance. 

Eligibility

This service is available to all property owners whose dwelling house is considered eligible for purchase, as it is part of a regeneration project.

Procedure

Contacts are usually circulated for individual schemes as part of the normal consultation process.

Office Hours:                   

Contacts

Please address any customer comments to:

Write:

The Assistant Director
Strategic Housing
PO Box 603
Barnsley
S70 9FD

Tel: 01226 772742

Email: strategichousing@barnsley.gov.uk

Legislation

The Home Loss Payments (Prescribed Amounts) (England) Regulations 2008