The Council has developed a Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy, which is designed to help vulnerable households living in the private sector. The Policy sets out the circumstances in which the Council will assist owner-occupiers, tenants and landlords in the private sector with housing renewals and low energy efficiency. The Policy is based upon the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
While the Government’s view is that it is primarily the responsibility of homeowners to maintain their own homes, the proposed policy tools will enable some of the worst housing conditions in the private sector in the Borough to be addressed, while a regional loan product is being developed. The Policy tools available include the following forms of grant assistance:
- Discretionary Decent Homes Grant
- Discretionary Landlord Grant
- Discretionary Empty Property Grant
- Discretionary Home Repair Assistance Grant, and
- Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants
Due to restricted funding for housing renewal not all of the grant assistance is available across the Borough. In particular, the Discretionary Decent Homes Grants, Discretionary Landlord Grants, and Discretionary Empty Property Grants are currently only available in the Cresswell, Ellington, Linton and Lynemouth area. Full details are given in the Policy.
In order to improve the energy efficiency of properties in the area, the Council works closely with their partner Northumberland WarmZone to deliver loft and cavity wall insulation. See the link to Warm Zones under Further Information to the right of this page.
The Warm Front Scheme is a Government-funded initiative designed to help make certain owner-occupied or privately rented homes warmer, healthier and energy efficient. The items a Warm Front Grant can provide include loft insulation, draughtfroofing, cavity-wall insulation, hot water tank insulation and gas, electric or oil central heating - a combination boiler and up to 5 radiators. See the link to Warm Front under Further Information to the right of this page.