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Home Improvements - Grants

Please use the links below to jump to the section you wish to view, or scroll down this page to view the sections in order.

Private Sector Housing and Grants
Disabled Facilities Grants and other assistance
Contact Details
Links

Private Sector Housing and Grants

The Unit contributes to the Council's Strategic Housing role in respect of Private Sector Housing and enforces a wide range of housing legislation, including repair and fitness standards and complaints of harassment. Additionally, the unit deals with all grant-aided repairs, improvements and disabled adaptations to non-council housing, in the latter case acting in conjunction with other professions such as Occupational Therapists and the Shropshire Care and Repair agency.

During 2002, the Unit underwent a Best Value Review and subsequently received a 'light touch' inspection from the Best Value Inspectorate.

The Private Sector Housing Strategy will take account of the need for decent affordable quality homes to meet, where necessary, the needs of specific groups such as the young or elderly. A survey of 1000 private sector houses was commissioned in the spring of 2002, the results of the survey have enabled the council to revise the Borough Council's Private Sector Housing Policy, which forms part of the Council's overall Housing Strategy. Progress with the Strategy and the relevant performance indicators will be dependant on adequate resources being made available.

During 2003/04, changes made by Government to the current system of improvement grants will come into effect. Emphasis will move away from direct funding of repair by grants towards a system of loans and equity release in partnership with other agencies such as Shropshire Care and Repair.

Action to more accurately identify and assess conditions in Houses in Multiple Occupation will also be a priority area.

We will also during the life of the plan aim to improve the availability of housing information by development of the Unit's Website and by other means. For more details on the Council's Housing aims and objectives please refer to 'Oswestry Borough Council's Housing Strategy Statement 2002/03 - 2005/06'.

Disabled Facilities Grants and other assistance

There is currently no policy to award discretionary grant assistance for house repair or improvement works. Although it is open to persons in exceptional circumstances to make an application.

Elderly or otherwise vulnerable occupants may obtain assistance in obtaining equity release funding for such works, this would entail taking out a loan to fund the works, using property as security. The Shropshire Care and Repair agency should be contacted for current details. The agency may arrange a low cost loan, arrange and supervise works using reputable contractors.

The council, in partnership with other Shropshire authorities, are investigating the possibility of setting up a Home Handyman service in the borough. It is hoped that the handyman will be able to carry out certain small scale works for vulnerable clients.

To enable a disabled client to remain in their own home, certain works of adaptation for Disabled clients are still funded by the local authority. If you think that you would benefit from one of these grants, please contact your Occupational therapist in social Services for an assessment. These grants are means-tested

There is a range of loans, grants and discount schemes available for energy efficiency works. Eligibility depends on the state of the property and the circumstances of the occupant. To investigate whether you may be entitled for assistance, please visit the Home Efficiency page.

Contact Details

Oswestry Borough Council
Planning and Environmental Services
Castle View
Oswestry
Shropshire
SY2 6JE

Tel: 01691 677225 
email: environmentalhealth@oswestry-bc.gov.uk