Private Sector Housing

The relationship between poor housing conditions and poor health is well documented. It is vital that issues, such as damp and disrepair are dealt with, to protect public health, minimise nuisance and improve 'the quality of life for people in the District'.

Our Aim

To protect the health and welfare of residents living in the district, we will achieve this in the following ways:

• Providing advice and information
• Investigation of complaints about housing conditions
• The inspection and risk rating of Houses in Multiple Occupation
• The maintenance of an up-to-date register of all empty properties targeting long-term properties to bring them back into use
• To ensure homes meet the Decent Homes standard
• The processing of Disabled Facilities Grants
• The processing of Rochford Home Maintenance and Adaptation Grants
• The inspection of licensed Caravan Sites
• Tackling Filthy and Verminous premises
• Investigate complaints of harassment and illegal eviction arising in the private rented sector

Empty Properties

A long-term empty property is one that has been left empty for over 6 months (excluding second homes, holiday lets and certain other dwellings). As of 1st April 2008, there were 417 long term empty properties across the district.

Decent Homes

A decent home is one that meets the following criteria:

• The current statutory minimum standard for housing.
• It is in a reasonable state of repair.
• It has reasonably modern facilities and services.
• It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.

The governments target is to ensure that 65% of vulnerable households live in decent homes by 2006, 70% by 2010 and 75% by 2020.

Caravan Sites

There are approximately 700 mobile homes on the following residential and holiday caravan sites :

• Tower Park, Hullbridge
• Crouch Caravan Park, Hullbridge
• Halcyon Caravan Park, Hullbridge
• Shangri-la West Caravan Park, Hullbridge
• Brandy Hole Yacht Club, Hullbridge
• Dome Village, Hockley
• Hockley Mobile Homes Estate, Hockley
• Riverside Trailer Park, Canewdon

The council carry out an annual inspection of each site, in order to ensure compliance with the licence conditions.

More information from the Communities and Local Government website can be found in Related Links and Related Documents below.

If you require further information please contact us on 01702 318146 / 318050 / 318151  or privatesectorhousing@rochford.gov.uk