Council could force purchase of empty home

A report to councillors said the home in Parkfields had been empty since 2017

An empty house could be compulsorily purchased by City of Wolverhampton Council to bring it back into use.

Councillors will be asked on Wednesday to authorise the purchase of 51 Dimmock Street in Parkfields, which has lain empty since December 2017.

A report to the authority's cabinet said the house was the subject of probate - the process of disposing of property in a will - and was not logged with the Land Registry.

The council said previous orders to improve the property had not been complied with.

Should the owners resolve the ownership of the property and comply with requirements to tidy it up, the purchase could still be halted.

The council has a fund to buy empty properties and bring them back into use.

Proceeds of onward sales are then recycled into future purchases.

The council said bringing homes back into use means it benefits from the government's New Homes Bonus, and would increase council tax revenue.