Campaign targets empty Kingswood homes

Do you know of any houses or flats in Kingswood that are standing empty?

South Gloucestershire Council is backing Empty Homes Week, a campaign starting tomorrow which encourages home owners and landlords with empty properties to bring them back into use.

The council has helped to bring 119 properties back in to use over the last year, reducing the total number of empty homes from 582 to 463, the lowest number of empty homes in the district in six years and below the national average of 1.6 per cent at 0.66 per cent.

"With around 80 people in the district currently housed in temporary accommodation with a housing need, we are keen to help bring even more properties back into use through this awareness campaign," said a council spokesman.

Throughout the week the council is offering drop-in sessions in Kingswood for owners of empty properties to get advice on how they can return their homes to use, such as how to apply for an empty home loan to cover the cost of any repair work that's needed.

For more information call Amanda Thomas on 01454 865565.