LONG-TERM empty and derelict houses are causing endless misery for neighbours, says Hyndburn Tory leader Coun Peter Britcliffe.

The Oswaldtwistle councillor is urging Hyndburn to make more vigorous efforts to ensure absent owners pay the "empty charge" - half of the Council Tax.

He said: "This may shake the owners into doing something about these buildings and the responsibility they have for the quality of life of people in neighbouring houses.

"If someone is having to pay Council Tax, they might think a little more carefully about getting rid of it."

He was increasingly concerned about the number of houses deliberately kept empty, derelict and not even up for sale. "Neighbours' lives can be made miserable when a property is long-term empty and starts to become derelict. Dampness often starts to appear from the house next door and it gets vandalised."

When he investigated two properties in Oswaldtwistle, he discovered neither was paying the 50 per cent rate.

Hyndburn financial services director Dan Sherry said that in normal circumstances, a property becomes subject to the "empty charge" after it has been empty for six months.

However, the council's hands were tied by legislation which exempts a property from the 50 per cent rate if it is uninhabitable or undergoing repairs. Uninhabitable property is referred to the housing department for possible grant assistance.

Where a property is being renovated, it is still exempt but the council has power to put a deadline on when work should be completed and can charge the empty rate six months after the deadline.

Mr Sherry said tracing owners could be difficult but the council was doing everything it could to recover money where it was entitled to make a charge.

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