THE 'For Sale' sign outside 10 Butts Road marks the first major success in the battle against empty homes in Alton. The house, abandoned by owners and used as a drug den by squatters, has been repaired and is on the market after a decade long fight to secure the property. The introduction of new legislation in 2006 and the committed staff of the Private Sector Housing Team at East Hampshire District Council has improved relationships between the council and owners of empty houses, meaning that help is at hand for struggling landlords. The Private Sector Housing Team manager, Qamer Yasin, said: "We are delighted with the result. "This property has been a real concern for the residents and the councillors of the area. In the past, our powers have been very limited but with the new powers of the Housing Act 2006, and with support from the councillors we have been able to make progress and help get this property back into use. "We have been able to work closely with the owners who have been very co-operative and have welcomed the support and and assistance we have been able to give." Deputy Town Clerk, Greg Burt said: "Following the town council's concern about the number of long- time empty houses in Alton, we are delighted that East Hampshire District Council use its new powers. "Not only are empty houses a waste of a valuable asset, but they detract from the environmental quality of the locality; getting them into use and smartening them up will really help the council's ongoing Alton In Bloom campaign, which is all about making the town look better." Owner of the house, Dave Waller, said: "The house is on the market and there appears to be considerable interest in the property. We have had several offers and are hoping to reach agreement on a sale over the next couple of weeks. "Our experiences with the property have been mixed; as you know it has been empty for a long time and due to work commitments overseas and the problems of converting the property into a desirable residence, we were not making any progress. "The things that needed doing were fairly simple – establishing a secure access by installing a new back door, cleaning the house and removing the overgrown vegetation from the garden. "The council also arranged a rates rebate for the period the house had been empty. Our intention had been to return the house to a habitable state before selling it but we came to the conclusion that it made more sense to leave someone else to adapt the property to their own requirements. Our overseas commitments have increased with work in Hong Kong and the birth of a third grandchild." Mr Waller assured other landlords: "Our experiences in working with the council on this have been positive. The objective of getting the property back into use was one that we and the council shared and so the relationship was always co- operative. "One observation I would pass on to other owners in our situation is that once the rehabilitation process is started it is easy to move forward to the sale of a property, and it is best to leave the creation of a finished home to the new owner." Giles Hearn, the empty property co-ordinator worked with the owners to ensure the property was repaired and dealt with efficiently. He said: "We want to help owners find the best way of bringing their empty properties back into use. "We can give advice and support to owners of empty properties regarding the options that are available to them, like we did with the owners of 10 Butts Road. "If you are the owner or know of an empty property and wish to discuss bringing it back into use, please call me on 01730 234320."
