Last chance to have your say on home improvements loans

 

There is still time to have your say on what financial assistance should be available from Cheshire East Council for people to improve their homes.

If you are an owner-occupier, a landlord or someone in your household has a disability, you may be eligible for financial assistance to carry out repairs, improvements and adaptations to your property.

Cheshire East Council is consulting on the revised assistance policy. This is taking into account experiences of using the interim policy that has been in place since 2009, as well as information from the House Condition Survey carried out in 2010, and the removal of private sector renewal funding from central Government in their Comprehensive Spending Review in November 2010.  

The draft Private Sector Housing Financial Assistance Policy sets out the different types of loans and grants that we will offer with home repairs and adaptations.

The proposals include:

· Loans of up to £10,000 for urgent home repairs and heating for older people and people on a low income;

· Loans of up to £10,000 for owners of empty homes to help bring them back into use;

· Help for disabled people to adapt their home;

· Assistance for accredited landlords.

To assist us to make sure we get the policy correct, we would like to hear your views.

The consultation began last December and runs until February 24.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “This policy will provide much-needed money and assistance for Cheshire East residents to help improve properties across the Borough. I would urge as many people as possible to engage in this consultation to help us shape this important document.”

You can complete the questionnaire online via the ‘Have Your Say’ section of the Council’s home webpage at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk .

If you prefer to make written representations, print off and complete a form from the link:

http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/housing/private_sector_housing/financial_assistance.aspx

This form should be returned to the Council’s private sector housing team at:

Strategic Housing, Cheshire East Council, Westfields, Middlewich Road, Sandbach, Cheshire CW11 1HZ.

Alternatively, you can contact the team by phone on 0300 123 5017.