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Help to repair your home We may be able to help with grants, loans and advice to repair your home.The type of assistance that may be available are: Comfort Safety and Security Grants (CSS) Grant for Nominations- Empty Properties As part of Housing's strategy for dealing with private sector disrepair, particularly in older and disabled persons' homes, the City and County of Swansea may be able to offer a Homefix Loan. This is for owners who cannot afford monthly repayments but have equity in their property. To qualify you must be on a low income (based on a means test) and over 60, or over 18 and on a disability benefit. You need have owned and lived in the property for 3 years, and the property must be over 10 years old. Eligible works will be items of repair that are required to enable the occupant to live in a hazard free home and of a decent standard. In addition, our surveyor will able to advise you about general maintenance and provide approximate costs. He or she will also consider energy efficiency and if required refer you to the Energy Saving Trust, one of our partners, to help tackle fuel poverty and help reduce energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. See the Homefix Loan leaflet for more information. To be eligible to apply for the Emergency Repair Fund you must:
If you are a Housing Association tenant or a private tenant you cannot apply for an Emergency Repair Fund - contact your landlord if you think your premises require repairs. There is more information on this in Private Rented Housing. Only defects which represent an immediate danger or require emergency rectification are eligible to be included under the Emergency Repair Fund. These can include serious leakage, risk of collapse, malfunctioning sanitary facilities, risk of fire, serious damp, risk of fall etc. The maximum grant is £3000 over any 5 year period, with awards made under previous legislation/policy taken into account. Any grant approved will be placed as a local land charge against the property. This means it must be repaid when the property is sold or transferred to another owner. The property must be able to be put into a reasonable state of repair and hazard free for this amount. If it cannot, the Homefix Loan will be offered in its place. Please contact 01792 635330 for information. Comfort Safety and Security Grants (CSS) This is aimed mainly at Minor repair work for Owner Occupiers who are Swansea Care and Repair Clients (older and disabled persons) in receipt of a means tested benefit. The maximum funding is a £1000 over any 5 year period with awards made under previous legislation or policy taken into account. These works could facilitate an adaptation or telecare package and would be undertaken by Handy-person. The Care and Repair Cymru website has more information. Grant for Nominations- Empty Properties The Grants for Nominations scheme aims to encourage landlords of empty properties to bring them back into use. Properties that have been identified as being empty for a minimum of 2 years may be eligible for the grant. The Council requires the property to be let via their preferred Social Letting Agent for a period of not less than 3 years from the date of grant certification and the property is deemed suitable for letting. A Maximum grant of £20,000 or 75% eligible costs, whichever is lower, is available. The property must be at least 10 years old and be identified on the Council's Empty Property Register as being empty for a minimum of 2 years. Priority will be given to properties in areas identified as being in the most housing need. 100% grant is repayable for up to 3 years following the date of certification if the property is sold, or deeds transferred, the property is vacant for 6 months or more, the nomination agreement is not being met or the property is not let by the Councils preferred Social Lettings Agent. The Welsh Government launched a new scheme, Houses into Homes, in February 2012. There is a £10m fund for councils in Wales to offer loans to owners of empty homes to bring them back into use, either by renting or selling the property. Work to convert empty buildings into residential accommodation will also be eligible under the scheme. Loans will be available on an interest-free basis for up to three years, depending on the scheme, up to a maximum of around £25,000 per property (or £150,000 for multiple units in one building). There will be some administration and legal costs to an owner in setting up a loan and the valuation of the property and any existing borrowing against it will also be taken into consideration. The loan fund started in April 2012. If you own an empty property and are interested in the Houses into Homes scheme contact us at 01792 635335 or e-mail urbanrenewals@swansea.gov.uk to give us your details and the address of the property. If you would like to discuss any of the above please contact 01792 635335. You can also email: UrbanRenewals@swansea.gov.uk. 
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This page last updated on April 4 2013