Sedgemoor District Council has helped bring back 45 empty properties into use as homes for residents in the past year and are now teaming up with Somerset Care and Repair to help more owners of empty homes to turn them back in to warm and comfortable households.

The council is contacting owners of empty homes to let them know that there is more help and advice available to help them bring their properties into use.

Grant funding of up to £15,000 per property has been made available with money from EDF Energy's Hinkley Housing Fund to make it easier for owners of empty homes to bring the properties back into use as homes for local residents.

Some owners of empty homes may need help with renovation costs or are worried about letting. They can apply for an Empty Home Grant through Somerset Care & Repair - a charitable, not-for-profit home improvement agency.

Kevin Lake, Director of Somerset Care & Repair said "There are 10 homes lying empty for every one homeless family in England, frankly that is scandalous. An empty home is costing the owner money. This scheme returns them to use, increases their value, provides income, stops anti-social behaviour and improves the area and we take all of the risk, surely that has to be a "no brainer?"

David Eccles of EDF Energy said: "Investing in properties so they become available for rent is good news and this is precisely the kind of scheme that our £5M Housing Fund is designed for. We're expecting 1000s of local people to take up employment opportunities when Hinkley Point C construction gets underway. Staff living locally will spend their earnings locally. At the peak of construction of the new power station we expect an additional £100 million flowing into the regional economy annually."

Somerset Care & Repair can carry out necessary repairs to a property to bring it up to a habitable, rentable standard and manage the tenancy taking the "hassle factor" out of the process and bringing much needed housing back into the market.

If additional funding is required for larger projects, there are many schemes that owners can investigate such as low cost loans.

For more information about the Empty Homes Grant or loan available through Somerset Care & Repair please call 01749 345379 or email : office@somersetcareandrepair.co.uk Email: office@somersetcareandrepair.co.uk or visit http://www.swpshp.org/index.aspx?articleid=8515.