Private Sector Assistance
Sell your property
Selling an empty property can greatly remove the stress, financial constraints and pressure it places upon an owner.
Selling relieves the duty of paying Council Tax, increased home insurance for an empty property, maintenance costs - and the general angst that comes from maintaining and paying for the asset.
There are numerous online and high street estate agents that can provide a free impartial valuation, market your property, negotiate the sale price and manage the financial and legal process to help you achieve the best price for your property in the sale process.
You may wish to sell the property yourself online, or at auction, where interested parties can offer a quick sale for properties that need work. Information about local auction houses in Suffolk can be accessed online or in local written directories.
Privately rent your property
For some owners, the additional income of a rental property can be attractive. The tenants will be liable to pay the Council Tax at the address and a reasonable income can also be made.
If you plan to rent the property yourself, the government have put together guidance on renting out your property.
For those who do not want to manage the tenancy or letting of a property, letting agents can act on behalf of the landlord. They can find tenants, provide tenancy agreements and inventories, and arrange gas safety checks. Some can also actively manage the property on your behalf by collecting rent and arranging repairs. This means that some landlords never have direct contact with their tenants.
Some letting agencies are members of self-regulatory bodies such as:
- The National Approved Letting Scheme
- Propertymark (launched in February 2017, combining five different associations into a single brand. The five associations (ARLA, NAEA, NAVA, ICBA and APIP) were dedicated to promoting the highest industry standards for over 50 years)
The Council does operate a Central Suffolk Lettings scheme which can assist you with this further. Visit our Central Suffolk Lettings webpage for more information.
Property guardians
There are a few companies that will offer the unique service of keeping your unoccupied property safe and secure, by placing responsible occupants in your property for short periods of time (until you are ready to use it again). The arrangements can be flexible and tailor-made to you, and offer financial benefits, as well as protection against vandalism and early identification of disrepair. We cannot recommend companies and suggest searching the internet for local empty home property guardians.
Matchmakers
The Councils are often approached by developers who are interested in buying empty homes. Where appropriate, we will forward their contact details to owners of empty homes who may be interested.
There are also companies that specialise in matching buyers and owners. If you are worried about not getting the best value or attracting a buyer, a matchmaking company can help.
A home matching service could help pay for your repairs before you sell your property, find a buyer or even arrange the sales process for you.