Bristol city council launched a homesteading pilot scheme in 2011 with the aim of eventually releasing up to 12 pre-1919 empty properties, in urgent need of modernisation, to homesteaders each year. The idea is that the new owner, or homesteader, will acquire the property by purchasing it from the council at a reduced price of 50% of its potential value and then carrying out modernisation to the property themselves, supported by low interest loans and grants, such as the Green Deal and Wessex Reinvestment Trust loans, to fund their renovation work.
It’s a win-win as the homesteaders are first-time buyers who would otherwise not be able to afford to get on the property ladder and the council will be entitled to 50% of the property value when it is subsequently sold.
It has political support too. November's government housing strategy mentioned homesteading in its bidding guidance. Under the affordable homes framework, it said that "properties may be brought back into use as part of a homesteading scheme, where residents (or future residents) contribute their labour in exchange for a reduced rent or (in a shared ownership scheme) an increase in the share they own in the property".
The idea was also mooted at the Liberal Democrat conference last autumn, when communities minister, Andrew Stunell announced the government was working with councils to identify where homesteading schemes could rejuvenate local communities.
Here at Aquarian Cladding Systems we will be able to provide a perfect solution to the homesteaders should they wish to insulate and overclad their property with a long term, durable facade such as natural brick, whilst keeping wall thickness to a minimum. As the UK distributor of Gebrik, which is the only prefabricated brick slip cladding system in the UK, we see the potential benefit to the homesteaders (who are likely to be semi-skilled) being the ability to clad their buildings themselves, with support from our site support team.
We can help them assess their requirements, supply all parts of the system (which has a current BBA certificate) and provide guidance to ensure it is applied correctly. It is unlikely that any other external wall insulation solution will be as simple to install and provide such long term performance.
The one condition for buyers is that they must remain in the house for five years, which will encourage the homesteaders to become part of the community that they have helped to improve. Surely a small price to pay?
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