Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMO’s)

Nick Long

Empty Homes Manager

13 EDMO’s gained nationally

• Hounslow the first in London

• Lewisham gained second

• Government was expecting 1-2 EDMO’s per borough!

• Lewisham have applied for8 EDMO hearings -gained 5 –lost 1 and withdrew 2

• Bromley & Richmond making current applications

EDMO’s –what are they and how they work

• Any private sector dwelling empty and not being marketed, subject of probate or being repaired can be the subject of an EDMO application

• The Residential Property Tribunal (RPT) may grant the authority an interim EDMO if we can demonstrate that there is no reasonable prospect of the dwelling coming back

• Can’t move against squatted or illegally or partially occupied properties

• Involves providing the RPT with a detailed chronology of offers of support and help

EDMO’s –useful but involved

• If an interim EDMO is gained still can’t do anything with the property without the owners consent during the first year! (phoney war)

• The authority has a legal duty to insure the dwelling –despite the owner leaving the property to fall into disrepair for years!

• Only after the expiry of the interim can the authority move towards a final EDMO

Final EDMO (the real thing)

• Have to give the owner 28 notice of intention to invoke the final EDMO with the right of appeal

• Must give the owner details of the repairs planned and costs, management arrangements and costs

• Rent to be charged

• Details of any rent surplus (yes surplus rent!) to be paid to the owner

• Owner has the right of appeal to the RPT regarding the management proposals –not the final EDMO however

Main title slides

can have Lewisham blue background like this

Final EDMO’s -7 years to recover out lay

• Ideally EDMO’s should be used only on properties in reasonable repair

• Liverpool, Manchester & Leeds are going to use EDMO on “buy-to leave properties”

• We have all the costs and risks of repairing, managing, insuring and letting the property

• Only have maximum of 7 years to recover costs – in reality only 78 months of rental income

EDMO’s useful threat

Owners often respond –selling, repairing and letting the property

Section dividers may also have a Lewisham blue background

• text is white on blue background

• keep text short and relevant

• no more than seven bullet points per slide

• use minimum capitalisation and punctuation