From
April of this year, owners of empty and derelict
commercial buildings will be under pressure to re-let or
sell their properties because the empty property rate
charged by local authorities is rising from 50% to 100% of
the basic occupied business rate.
The
FMB believes that this measure should be supported by a
cut in the VAT charged on building repair work from 17.5%
to 5%, as this would increase housing stock.
The
FMB’s director of external affairs, Brian Berry, says:
“The 17.5% rate of VAT is an unacceptable brake on the
regeneration and re-use of vacant and under-used
buildings. Bringing empty buildings back into beneficial
use, in both town and country, is an essential part of
sustainable development and improving people’s quality
of life.”
Meanwhile,
housing charity Shelter, is keen to see greater use of
Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMO), which give
councils in England and Wales control of private property
that has stood empty for over six months.
Current
estimates for England put the number of such properties at
around 280,000.
So
