Staffordshire council set to sell off home that would cost more than £60k to fix
A council house in Rugeley is set to go under the hammer after it was found it would cost more than £60,000 to repair.
Cannock Chase Council cabinet members agreed to dispose of the freehold of 63 Hagley Road at a meeting on Thursday (March 5).
They also gave the go-ahead to instruct agents to market the 1930s property for sale. A valuer has recommended the property be offered to the market via public auction due to the ongoing structural issues, a report to the cabinet said.
It added: “A freehold disposal of this property will avoid the need for the council to spend substantial money underpinning the property as it can be sold in its existing condition. Based on a recent tender process the cheapest quote to underpin the property was £59,966, exclusive of VAT.
“63 Hagley Road comprises a three-bedroom semi-detached property that is owned by the council and managed as part of its housing stock. The property is currently vacant.
“Significant structural cracking in the single storey rear extension was identified, together with less severe cracking in the two-storey wing. Three quotes were obtained from specialist contractors to underpin the foundations, as recommended by the geotechnical report.
“The quote was limited to the structural underpinning work required. The property would also require other necessary works to bring it up to a Decent Homes Standard.
“Section 11 of The Landlord and Tenants Act 1985 states that to be lettable the property will be fit for human habitation. Untreated structural issues and hazards prevent the letting of a property.”
If the work was to be carried out by the council, based on the property’s annual rental it would take almost 11 years before the authority recovered the cost of the underpinning work alone, the report said. Any sale proceeds will be available to fund future approved schemes within the council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme.
