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Houses into Homes scheme

To tackle social issues and as part of meeting housing demand in Wales, the Welsh Government wants empty property to come back into use.

Latest figures suggest there are around 23,000 empty properties in Wales. Some of these properties could provide homes to people who need them. To tackle social issues, and as part of meeting housing demand in Wales, we want these empty buildings to come back into use.

We made a commitment to this in the Programme for Government. That is why we have created a £10 million fund to support the new Houses into Homes scheme.

Loans are available to bring empty houses or commercial buildings back into use as homes - including splitting them into flats - for sale or rent.

When the work is completed, the property must be sold or rented out - the owners can’t do up a property and then live in it themselves.

The loans are interest free and are available now. They have to be paid back within two or three years depending on whether the property is sold or let.

A comprehensive three year evaluation began at the start of the scheme. It will look at all the action that is being taken by local authorities to tackle empty homes.

The Houses into Homes scheme was launched by the Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage in April 2012.

It has been developed in conjunction with the Welsh Local Government Association, the all-Wales Heads of Environmental Health Technical Panel and Andrew Lavender, consultant on the Kent No Use Empty scheme.