Gwynedd Council has expanded its Empty Homes Grants Scheme, supporting more residents to turn empty properties into quality homes.

The grant - previously only for first-time buyers - will now be open to all eligible buyers. In addition, the maximum grant has been increased from £15,000 to £20,000 to reflect increases in the costs of goods and services.

The aim of the scheme, active since 2021, is to bring empty properties back into use by offering a grant to renovate homes to an acceptable standard of living. The £4 million scheme is funded by the Council Tax Premium on second homes and has already helped almost 170 residents across Gwynedd.

This scheme is one of many available to help bring empty houses back into use. Others include VAT reductions on renovations of empty properties, Welsh Government loans, and Leasing Scheme Wales, which allows landlords to lease empty properties to the Council for a guaranteed income.

Gethin Jones, who received the grant and purchased a home in Chwilog, Pwllheli, said: "We are looking forward to settling down in our home here in Chwilog and start a new chapter as a family with a baby on the way. The grant has helped us complete essential repairs to the house, such as installing new windows, rebuilding the chimney and electrical work, much more quickly than we would have been able to do on our own, and have the place ready for us as a family. Without the grant, we wouldn't be where we are now, that's for sure! It means we can carry on working on the house and make it a home for years to come.

"The house had been empty for over a year before we moved in, and the former owner, a local woman, really wanted to sell it to local people. We both grew up close to Chwilog and it means a lot to us to be able to stay close to our families and raise our child in an area we know and love.''

For more information visit https://shorturl.at/tIgLI