Newsbot Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 Plans are considered to give Douglas Council extra powers to improve dilapidated homes. Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/...man/7096482.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebees Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Hey hey thats the spirit. Credit where credit is due, if the government aren't brave enough to do something about the empty homes being let to ruin by 'investors' its nice the council can still manage something, more than blue paint/blue bins.....blue everything..oh and a seagull, great big one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Yes, credit where credit is due. But they must actually use these powers and the regulations must also provide that a charge is put over the property if the Corpie has to do any work to tidy it up so that the owner doesn't benefit in a sale without paying what is due. Would it be too far to say that if the Corpie has to carry out works then the property can be considered as abandoned and the Corpie can take ownership? May seem a little harsh and may give Douglas more problems in dealing with such properties, but it would certainly stop acquisition with the sole intent of allowing the building to crumble in order to throw up another apartment block when the original building eventually becomes unfit for habitation or unsafe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insomniac Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 They could start with the the two properties that face st. marys school on the junction of Ballaquayle Road and Woodburn Road. One is a bungalow opposite Woodburn Road on the St Ninians church side, not too tatty, but has been boarded up for as long as I can remember. The other is the end terrace that is the first house on the left of Woodburn Road itself if heading for Douglas. The walls and render are collapsing there are even plants growing into the house. disgusting and right on a main junction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 What a stupid idea. One wonders what the motives are behind it. Who stands to gain from this policy? There is no mention of forcing the property to be brought to the market, so no change on availability of accommodation. But neighbours stand to receive an increase in property value, whilst the corporation will take any legal fall-out. (and with them doing the work in the usual inefficient way there's bound to be some) What next? National Socialism, lol.......... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Yes, credit where credit is due. But they must actually use these powers and the regulations must also provide that a charge is put over the property if the Corpie has to do any work to tidy it up so that the owner doesn't benefit in a sale without paying what is due. Would it be too far to say that if the Corpie has to carry out works then the property can be considered as abandoned and the Corpie can take ownership? May seem a little harsh and may give Douglas more problems in dealing with such properties, but it would certainly stop acquisition with the sole intent of allowing the building to crumble in order to throw up another apartment block when the original building eventually becomes unfit for habitation or unsafe. Though some of these houses may be owned by absent landlords sitting on an investment, some are no doubt also owned by poor old souls who now find themselves in nursing homes, and some people saving to carry out the work. Whilst I don't think they should be allowed to take ownership, they should certainly have a plan and the ability to insist on certain things happening to such a house over some pre-determined timescales. However, you have to be very careful where you draw the line at corporation intervention though IMO - otherwise they will insist all houses gravitate to the 'Douglas in Bloom' level. Equally, getting a letter from the corpy saying they intend to do e.g. £10K worth of work when the owner hasn't got £10K isn't fair IMO. What they should be doing first is making every effort to contact the owner (it's not hard to find out the owner of a property) about what plans he/she has for the house, stating that they will shortly be doing a report on the property (e.g. in 6 months) which will have a report charge followed by a 'clean-up charge' unless they hear from the owner - this would give the owner time to come up with a plan or sell it if necessary. To avoid sales between family members etc. who fully intend to avoid costs, they could set up some of order on the house associated with its sale. There again, if a house is structurally sound but just doesn't look too attractive, what right has anyone got to force it's early sale or its development if someone is trying to save up to do such development work, especially given the huge costs involved at present - which means to me that there should maybe actually be up to 5 years before they take any action other than writing to the owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ai_Droid Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 What a stupid idea. One wonders what the motives are behind it. Who stands to gain from this policy? There is no mention of forcing the property to be brought to the market, so no change on availability of accommodation. But neighbours stand to receive an increase in property value, whilst the corporation will take any legal fall-out. (and with them doing the work in the usual inefficient way there's bound to be some) What next? National Socialism, lol.......... ? How would you deal with the problem of ugly run down properties? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I would like to know exactly what criteria Christian and his cronies intend to employ in order to deem that a property requires smartening up. By all means if a property is structurally unsound and a possible danger then a qualified structural engineer will be able to supply a professional opinion. But I would prefer someone other than Councillor David Christian to say say whether my property needs to be tidied up. This whole matter is bordering on fascism. If I want to allow my home to be left another year without a lick of paint I will decide Davey boy, not you. Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 How would you deal with the problem of ugly run down properties? I wouldn't deal with it because it isn't a problem. Any long term empty properties owned by people in faraway lands could be left to squatters. A win-win, investors get the long term growth and a few unsavoury characters who use string instead of dogleads/belts get somewhere to live on the cheap. The corporation could lean on them for a lick of paint perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartacus Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 A fine example of such an eyesore has appeared on Victoria Road, opposite Padgetts. No. 1 Princes Road appears to have been derelict for a long time with holes in the roof and the usual signs of neglect. Recently, some guys turned up, knocked down the perimiter wall and an extension and levelled the ground. Great, I thought they're gonna do it up. Nope, the owners have just used the space to park the vans for their lighting business, leaving a great eyesore at the end of my road. Thanks guys. That and the derelict Woodville across the way make the area look more the set of a Death Wish film every day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltire Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 A fine example of such an eyesore has appeared on Victoria Road, opposite Padgetts. No. 1 Princes Road appears to have been derelict for a long time with holes in the roof and the usual signs of neglect. Recently, some guys turned up, knocked down the perimiter wall and an extension and levelled the ground. Great, I thought they're gonna do it up. Nope, the owners have just used the space to park the vans for their lighting business, leaving a great eyesore at the end of my road. Thanks guys. That and the derelict Woodville across the way make the area look more the set of a Death Wish film every day At least the eyesore will be well lit then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 A fine example of such an eyesore has appeared on Victoria Road, opposite Padgetts. No. 1 Princes Road appears to have been derelict for a long time with holes in the roof and the usual signs of neglect. Recently, some guys turned up, knocked down the perimiter wall and an extension and levelled the ground. Great, I thought they're gonna do it up. Nope, the owners have just used the space to park the vans for their lighting business, leaving a great eyesore at the end of my road. Thanks guys. That and the derelict Woodville across the way make the area look more the set of a Death Wish film every day It seems like you could live nearer to quite a few forum members than you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Maybe you could both hold a love-in in the squat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartacus Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 It wouldn't surprise me if there were squatters in some of the derelict buildings around here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltire Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 It wouldn't surprise me if there were squatters in some of the derelict buildings around here! You might be one of them soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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