Mendip council calls for empty home owners
- Published
A council in Somerset has said more than 1,000 homes in its area are empty depriving families of a permanent place to live.
Mendip District Council said it believed it had 1,406 empty homes with about 500 of those unoccupied for a long period of time.
It is now asking for any property owners looking for tenants to contact its officers.
It is also asking the public to report any empty properties.
Councillor Maureen Brandon said: "Empty properties brought back into use enhances the area by reducing eyesores.
"It brings life back into towns and villages, reduces the effects of vandalism and squatting, and reduces the cost to the environment and communities by reducing the need to build more housing on greenfield sites.
"Bringing homes back into use is not only good for the community but possibly very profitable for the owner by providing a regular source of income."