Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

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Private Sector Housing

How Private Sector Housing matters are managed

Matters relating to private housing are divided between two parts of the Council:

• Housing Implementation
  This is part of the Regeneration Directorate, dealing with the property based side of private housing, e.g. Financial assistance with home improvements, affordable housing provision and empty properties . The Housing Implementation Team also delivers the Housing Market Renewal initiative, and so provides support and financial assistance to those people whose homes are affected by these proposals.
• Private Sector Housing
  This is in the Adult and Community Services Directorate, managing the ‘people based’ side of private housing, for example, landlord accreditation, overcrowding, houses in multiple occupation and so on

Housing Implementation

Housing Implementation is subdivided into six main service areas as follows:

Affordable Housing

House prices are currently high. As a result of this, many people find it difficult to buy a home. There are several initiatives to help people with this.

• Discounted house prices
• Shared ownership ('Homebuy', managed by Plumlife, part of the Great Places Housing Group)
• Renting - for information on renting options, contact the Housing Options Centre on freephone 0800 328 7788
• The ‘Home Plus Plan’ (only for people affected by demolition plans under Regeneration schemes)

Private Housing Refurbishments

The Exterior Improvements Team:

• carries out exterior refurbishments to private housing in strategic areas across the Borough

• gives advice about obtaining financial help to make home improvements.

For more information please contact the Refurbishment Team on 0161 770 4490/4491.

Help may also be available to people who find it physically and financially difficult to undertake repairs to their home in the form of ‘Home Repairs Assistance’. This is targeted as a priority to vulnerable homeowners, aged 60 or over. Anchor Staying Put manage this scheme on behalf of the Council. You can contact them for further information on 0161-339 5699.

Area Renewal

As well as refurbishing existing properties, the Council has the ability to acquire land and housing for specific purposes using ‘compulsory purchase’ powers. ‘Compulsory Purchase Orders’ (or CPOs) can be made for the following reasons:

• To address specific issues with individual 'problematic' properties;
• To enable large scale regeneration of areas

For more detailed information refer to the section on Compulsory Purchase

Rehousing Support

There are a number of options open to residents affected by Compulsory Purchase proposals.

These include:

• Buying another property without further assistance using the market value paid for the property together with a compensation package (see leaflets on Compensation and Buying and Selling a House)
• Renting from First Choice Homes or Registered Social Landlords (see leaflet on Renting a New Home)
• Accessing an equity loan called “Homebuy” for up to 25% of the value of the new property offered by certain registered social landlords
• A discounted new build home negotiated by Oldham Council (see leaflet on Discounted Housing)
• An Equity Loan package only repayable when the house is sold (see leaflet on Home Plus Plan)

For more information, contact the local neighbourhood offices:

Derker: Flint Street, Derker 0161 652 8873

Werneth: 80 Tamworth Street, Werneth 0161 770 4246

Empty Property Initiatives

Empty properties can cause a number of problems. The Council has introduced the 'Empty Homes Strategy 2007-2009'. This document looks at the issues relating to empty properties, and details the options that are available to bring long term empty properties back into use.

For more detailed information on empty homes in general, please refer to the section on Empty Properties.

Securing Properties

Once a property has been bought by the Council, the property is secured preventing unauthorised access.The Council will also arrange for the services to be disconnected and the property to be cleared of any refuse.

For more information contact 0161 770 4462.

Private Sector Housing Strategy 2007-2009

The Private Sector Housing Strategy sets out how the Council will tackle private housing issues in Oldham. The document details how tackling these issues will help to make it a better place to live, work and visit. Information is also contained about what financial help and support is available to homeowners.

View the Oldham Private Sector Housing Strategy 2007-2009 here, approved by the Council in July 2007

Alternatively, view a copy of the summary document here.

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