Brian Stanley Demands Action on Vacant Local Authority Homes
Brian Stanley criticised the vacant homes minister over delays, costs and boarded-up local authority housing, demanding dedicated relet teams and increased departmental funding. He said a third of local authority houses have been vacant for more than a year, relet times average over eight months, and preparation costs have risen by almost 10,000 to in excess of 28,000 per unit.
Stanley called the position of a vacant homes minister in the middle of a housing crisis "an absolute scandal" and said boarded homes harm communities and families waiting for homes. He argued that longer vacancies lead to deterioration, vandalism and higher costs, and that the current reliance on private contractors causes delays and drives up relet costs.
He highlighted Leish as a local authority example that set up a dedicated relet team using direct labour, which reduced relet times to around three months or less and lowered costs. Out of a stock of 2,500 homes in Leish, fewer than 30 are empty at any given time, and about 80 homes were relet last year, though only half received departmental funding.
Stanley cited rising preparation costs for relets - up by almost 10,000 over five years to more than 28,000 per unit on average - while relet grants from the department were just 11,000. He contrasted Leish relet costs of around 17,000-18,000 with the state average of over 28,000, and criticised the stop-start release of departmental funding that slows delivery.
He urged that all local authorities adopt dedicated relet teams and use direct labour where possible, called for continuous rather than stop-start funding, and demanded the government and the department cover a greater share of relet costs. He warned that boarded-up homes in a housing crisis are unacceptable and said the current situation makes the vacant homes minister no longer sustainable.
Key criticisms
Stanley called the position of a vacant homes minister in the middle of a housing crisis "an absolute scandal" and said boarded homes harm communities and families waiting for homes. He argued that longer vacancies lead to deterioration, vandalism and higher costs, and that the current reliance on private contractors causes delays and drives up relet costs.
Evidence from Leish
He highlighted Leish as a local authority example that set up a dedicated relet team using direct labour, which reduced relet times to around three months or less and lowered costs. Out of a stock of 2,500 homes in Leish, fewer than 30 are empty at any given time, and about 80 homes were relet last year, though only half received departmental funding.
Funding and cost figures
Stanley cited rising preparation costs for relets - up by almost 10,000 over five years to more than 28,000 per unit on average - while relet grants from the department were just 11,000. He contrasted Leish relet costs of around 17,000-18,000 with the state average of over 28,000, and criticised the stop-start release of departmental funding that slows delivery.
Recommendations and consequences
He urged that all local authorities adopt dedicated relet teams and use direct labour where possible, called for continuous rather than stop-start funding, and demanded the government and the department cover a greater share of relet costs. He warned that boarded-up homes in a housing crisis are unacceptable and said the current situation makes the vacant homes minister no longer sustainable.
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Transcript
The vacant homes minister in the middle of a housing crisis is an absolute scandal, particularly when the local authority houses are vacant at the moment. A third of them is vacant for more than a year. This is simply not on. Relay times are averaging over eight months, and much more in a lot of cases. The cost of preparing a home for relet has increased in five years. By almost 10,000 per unit, and it is now in excess of 28,000. The longer a home is vacant, minister, and this is a message I want to give you, and if you look around at vacant houses in Limnick you will see this yourself. The longer a home is vacant, the more it deteriorates, and they become subject to vandalism, along with causing problems in an area. The quicker we let them, the cheaper it is to do it. One of the problems is the over-reliance on private contractors. Contractors will have to be used in certain cases, I understand that, but when we are totally reliant on them, it is causing delays and driving up costs. In the case of Leish, Leish has started using direct labour. They have set up a dedicated relet team of internal tradesmen and general workers, general operators. Small county with small budget, but to have a team that are doing that. That is speeding up delivery of relets. Relet times are now three months and less, less than 12 weeks in a lot of cases. It has also proved to be more cost effective. Out of a stock of 2,500 homes, less than 30 are empty at any given time. It would be better if it is less than that. 80 homes were relet last year in the county, but only half of them received money from the department. The average cost of the relets in Leish is less than the state average. It is working now around 17,000, 18,000, compared to the average cost of the state of over 28,000. Relet grants for the department are just 11,000, and don't forget that the department only funded 40 out of the 80 last year, 40 out of the 80 relets in the county. So that slows down the reletting. Along with the stop-start nature of the funding, how it is released by the department, boarded homes have a negative impact on local communities, not to mention the fact on the families who are desperately waiting for those. All local authorities should have a dedicated relet teams, met up with direct labour, and use that where possible. It cannot be used all the time, but where possible. The department and the government can't have a stop-start funding program for relets. That has to be moving the whole time. The government and department must provide a greater share of the cost of the relets as well. You know, 11,000 is insufficient. We simply cannot have homes boarded up in the middle of a housing crisis. It is simply not on. This is no longer a sustainable minister.