Vale of Glamorgan Council
Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
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0 percentInterest Free Housing Loans and Empty Homes Grants

The Vale of Glamorgan Council in partnership with Welsh Government is providing interest-free loans and Empty Homes Grants to improve poor quality housing across the Vale of Glamorgan.

The Council are offering interest free housing loans. Loans are available to assist owner occupiers with essential repairs, bring long term empty properties into use and assist landlords/developers to convert empty buildings into residential units.  Empty Homes Grants are now also available to assist with the cost of making a property safe and secure before moving into a property.

 

Empty Homes banner

 

Paintbrush iconEmpty Property Landlord Loan

Loans are available to assist owners to carry out repairs or improvements to enable the property to be occupied. The loan will be available for owners who wish to sell or rent out the property. Loans can be used for work on residential properties or commercial buildings, which can include splitting a property into flats. Properties must be empty for a minimum of 6 months.

 

Empty property owners, charities, businesses and property developers can apply for an interest free loan. Applicants can apply for a loan up to £35,000 per unit, with a maximum of £250,000 per applicant. Loans will be repayable over 2 years if the property is sold, or 5 years if the property is let.

 

Empty Property Landlord Loan - Frequently Asked Questions

Dripping tap iconEmpty Property Owner-Occupier Loan

These loans are available to owners who wish to occupy an empty property. The loan can be used to undertake repairs to enable an owner of an empty property to occupy it on completion of the work.  Work can include replacement of central heating boilers, repairs to electrics, work to remedy damp.

 

Applicants are able to apply for interest free loans of between £1,000 and £35,000, which will be repayable over a period of up to 5 years.

 

Empty Property Owner-Occupier Loan - Frequently Asked Questions

Pencil and spanner iconOwner-Occupier Loan (Home Improvement)

These loans are available to assist owners currently occupying the home to undertake essential repairs to make it safe, warm and secure. Work can include replacement of central heating systems, repairs to electrics, repairs to remedy damp, renewal of defective windows and doors.

 

Applicants are able to apply for interest free loans of between £1,000 and £35,000, which will be repayable over a period of 5-10 years. 

 

Owner-Occupier Loan - Frequently Asked Questions

National Empty Homes Grant Scheme 

  • Do you own a property that is currently empty? 

  • Do you need help making it safe and secure before you move in?

  • Are you thinking about buying an empty property to live in, but you will need help to bring it back into use? 

If yes to either of these questions and the property has been empty for 12 months or more, you could be eligibile for a grant of up to £25,000 to help bring your property back to life and improve its energy efficiency. 

 

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is the Lead Local Authority for the National Empty Homes Grants Scheme and are delivering the grants on behalf of Welsh Local Authorities including the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

 

To enquire, please contact Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council:

National Empty Homes Grants l Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

 

Please note, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is the main Data Controller for the personal data processed for the purposes of the National Empty Homes Grant Scheme.  However, some of the data will also be processed by the Vale of Glamorgan Council to facilitate the Scheme.

 

Please find links to the Privacy Notices below:

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council Privacy Notice
Vale of Glamorgan Council Privacy Notice  

 

VAT Relief on Empty Properties

Bringing empty properties back into use can be costly particularly when extensive renovations are required. However, the Government has introduced a number of tax changes, which could potentially reduce costs. 

Additional information

There will be a loan application fee and you will be required to demonstrate your ability to repay the loan within a set period of time. All loans will be secured on the property and will take into account an existing mortgage. The mortgage and / or the loan cannot exceed 80 per cent of the property’s value. Loans are not available for general improvements or to extend an existing property. 

 

Warm Wales

Warm Wales works with different services to make sure that homes are warm and safe.  They can give you free advice about: 

  • energy, 
  • water bills, 
  • heating, 
  • registering for the Priority Services Register, and 
  • safety measures in your home

You can get advice for what is best for your home by completing a referral form, or by phoning them.

  • 0800 091 1786 - select option 1

 

 

Warm Wales

 

 

Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest Scheme

 

Help to make your home more energy efficient!

The Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest scheme makes Welsh homes warmer and more energy efficient places to live.Nest provides all households in Wales with free, impartial advice to help you reduce your energy bills, maximise your income, and lower your carbon footprint.You could also be eligible for free home energy efficiency improvements such as free home heating and insulation measures. 

 

Call freephone 0808 808 2244, Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm or visit the website gov.wales/nest to find out more.

Nest logo

 

 

ECO4 Scheme (Energy Company Obligation including ECO4 Flex)

ECO4 is the latest Energy Company Obligation scheme administered by OFGEM. The aim of ECO funding is to help those who are living in fuel poverty and vulnerable to the risk of living in a cold home, and whose house is energy inefficient.  ECO funding pays for energy efficiency measures such as heating improvements and insulation to be installed, thereby helping to reduce the cost of heating the home and create carbon savings which is good for the environment too.  

 

  • Residents may be eligible for ECO funded measures if they are in receipt of one of the following benefits: 

    Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)

    Income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

    Income Support (IS) 

    Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (PCGC)

    Working Tax Credit (WTC)

    Child Tax Credit (CTC)

    Universal Credit (UC)

    Housing Benefit

    Pension Credit Savings Credit (PCSC)

    Child Benefit (subject to income caps and composition) 

  

If none of these benefits are being claimed, the household may still be able to receive funded measures through the flexible eligibility process ('ECO flex' for short), for example if the household has a combined income below £31,000 or someone in the home has a qualifying medical condition.  

 

This Statement of Intent sets out the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s flexible eligibility criteria for ECO4 Flex from 19 May 2023 to the end of March 2026. 

 

How to apply

Residents: If you think you may qualify for ECO funding, please speak to an organisation who can offer you free and impartial energy and bill saving support and assess whether you might be eligible for funding, either from ECO or any other grant programmes to help pay for improvements to your home.  Warm Wales is one provider who offers such assistance for any residents in Wales.

 

  • 0800 091 1786 - select option 1

 

Installers: The Vale of Glamorgan Council has partnered with E.ON on the delivery of ECO4 flex.  If you are an installation company and wish to enquire about on-boarding wth our scheme, please contact E.ON.

 

List of known Eco-flex Agents operating in The Vale of Glamorgan

 

 

No Liabilities: The Vale of Glamorgan Council will not be accepting any ECO related requests and accepts no responsiblity or liability resulting from any negative consequence, damage or loss arising from the acceptance of an ECO FLEX grant.

 

 

Contact us

Should you wish to find out more information about the loan schemes or to receive an application pack please complete an online form or contact:

 

Eleri Nicholas, Empty Homes and Loans Officer 

Regeneration and Planning

Vale of Glamorgan Council

Dock Offices

Subway Road

Barry

CF63 4RT