Abandoned (empty) homes

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A thank you from Reece, Housing & Enforcement (Service Delivery Lead)

Thank you to everyone who has given their opinions about the different parts of Great Places’ tenancy management policy. This policy, gives more detail about your rights and responsibilities as a customer of Great Places. It includes sections on starting a business from home, wanting to have a pet and fitting CCTV to your home. It sets out what you can expect if you have pests (insects, rodents etc), your right to swap your home with someone else and tells you what we will do if you are away from your home for more than 30 days without telling us. It also describes your responsibilities to keep your home and garden tidy and to not cause noise nuisance to your neighbours.

Great Places will update its tenancy management policy based on what you have told us was important. Over the last few months we have been consulting with customers to find out what you think you should be allowed to do in your home i.e. have a pet, or start a business, and how you would feel if your neighbour did the same. We’ve also asked you how you would expect Great Places to support you, the information you would expect us to provide and what you expect us to do if something goes wrong.

Over the next few months we’ll update our tenancy management policy to ensure that your voice is at the centre. Keep an eye on future emailers, newsletters and here on Our Voice for updates about how we’ve used your feedback and what has changed as a result. Thanks again for helping to shape our service to you.


** Update 14 December **

Thank you to everyone who has taken part.

We've now closed the survey to have a look at what customers have told us and to select the prize draw winner.

In a housing crisis, it's important that Great Places' homes are used by people who need them. And empty homes can affect a building or area. In these cases, Great Places might need to take action to make sure that this home can be lived in by someone who needs it. If at all, this might normally be after a customer has been away from their home for more than 30 days at a time.

But, there may be real reasons why customers might need to spend some time away from their home. These might include:

  • a stay in hospital or a care home after an illness or accident
  • a long holiday or needing to go to look after sick friends or family in their home
  • working away, for example on an oil rig or cruise ship
  • being sent to prison for a short sentence

We need to understand what customers want our priorities to be. What you would expect if there was an empty home in your building or on your street? How would your opinion change if you needed to spend more than 30 days away from your home? We want to understand what you think we should do if either of these things happened to you. Tell us and you'll have the chance to win a £50 Love2shop e-gift card or voucher, sent before Christmas.

Answer 1 survey and give us your details and you'll receive 1 prize draw entry. Answer both surveys and give your details and we'll give you 3 prize draw entries. Terms and conditions below.

Why are we doing this consultation now?

Thank you to all of the customers who recently told us which of our tenancy management consultations would be most important to you. This was the consultation that customers thought was most important that we do next. You can see more information about this here.


**Prize Draw Terms & Conditions - All completed entries will be entered into a prize draw to win one £50 Love2shop e-gift cards or voucher. This prize will be sent to the winner before Christmas, but Great Places can not accept responsibility for when this will be delivered (by email or post through a third party). There is no cash alternative available. Please note that tenancy issues may be taken into account when the winner is chosen.

One prize draw entry will be given to anyone who completes either one of the surveys below. Anyone who completes both surveys will receive 3 prize draw entries. Both surveys will close at 11.59 pm on Tuesday 10 December 2024. Submissions completed after this time will not be entered into the draw. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted within 10 working days of the closing date.**


A thank you from Reece, Housing & Enforcement (Service Delivery Lead)

Thank you to everyone who has given their opinions about the different parts of Great Places’ tenancy management policy. This policy, gives more detail about your rights and responsibilities as a customer of Great Places. It includes sections on starting a business from home, wanting to have a pet and fitting CCTV to your home. It sets out what you can expect if you have pests (insects, rodents etc), your right to swap your home with someone else and tells you what we will do if you are away from your home for more than 30 days without telling us. It also describes your responsibilities to keep your home and garden tidy and to not cause noise nuisance to your neighbours.

Great Places will update its tenancy management policy based on what you have told us was important. Over the last few months we have been consulting with customers to find out what you think you should be allowed to do in your home i.e. have a pet, or start a business, and how you would feel if your neighbour did the same. We’ve also asked you how you would expect Great Places to support you, the information you would expect us to provide and what you expect us to do if something goes wrong.

Over the next few months we’ll update our tenancy management policy to ensure that your voice is at the centre. Keep an eye on future emailers, newsletters and here on Our Voice for updates about how we’ve used your feedback and what has changed as a result. Thanks again for helping to shape our service to you.


** Update 14 December **

Thank you to everyone who has taken part.

We've now closed the survey to have a look at what customers have told us and to select the prize draw winner.

In a housing crisis, it's important that Great Places' homes are used by people who need them. And empty homes can affect a building or area. In these cases, Great Places might need to take action to make sure that this home can be lived in by someone who needs it. If at all, this might normally be after a customer has been away from their home for more than 30 days at a time.

But, there may be real reasons why customers might need to spend some time away from their home. These might include:

  • a stay in hospital or a care home after an illness or accident
  • a long holiday or needing to go to look after sick friends or family in their home
  • working away, for example on an oil rig or cruise ship
  • being sent to prison for a short sentence

We need to understand what customers want our priorities to be. What you would expect if there was an empty home in your building or on your street? How would your opinion change if you needed to spend more than 30 days away from your home? We want to understand what you think we should do if either of these things happened to you. Tell us and you'll have the chance to win a £50 Love2shop e-gift card or voucher, sent before Christmas.

Answer 1 survey and give us your details and you'll receive 1 prize draw entry. Answer both surveys and give your details and we'll give you 3 prize draw entries. Terms and conditions below.

Why are we doing this consultation now?

Thank you to all of the customers who recently told us which of our tenancy management consultations would be most important to you. This was the consultation that customers thought was most important that we do next. You can see more information about this here.


**Prize Draw Terms & Conditions - All completed entries will be entered into a prize draw to win one £50 Love2shop e-gift cards or voucher. This prize will be sent to the winner before Christmas, but Great Places can not accept responsibility for when this will be delivered (by email or post through a third party). There is no cash alternative available. Please note that tenancy issues may be taken into account when the winner is chosen.

One prize draw entry will be given to anyone who completes either one of the surveys below. Anyone who completes both surveys will receive 3 prize draw entries. Both surveys will close at 11.59 pm on Tuesday 10 December 2024. Submissions completed after this time will not be entered into the draw. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted within 10 working days of the closing date.**


Page published: 17 Oct 2025, 02:28 PM