A derelict house has been sold at auction as part of a council’s commitment to bringing empty homes back into use.

The enforced sale of the house in Annfield Plain coincides with National Empty Homes Week, a nationwide awareness campaign that runs until Sunday 9 March.

It is the second time Durham County Council has competed an enforced sale of a residential property and it follows extensive searches by the local authority to find any party with an interest in the house.

The house, which has been empty since the owner died in 2012, had deteriorated over the years, also causing problems to a neighbouring property. With no legal owner to carry out the work, the council served notice under the Building Act 1984 to undertake emergency repairs to the property. It was then placed for sale at auction and achieved a fair market value, allowing the council to recoup all of the costs for the work carried out.

The Empty Homes Team will now provide advice, support and assistance to the new owner to help bring the property back into occupation.

Cllr James Rowlandson, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for resources, investment and assets, said: “We know the impact long-term empty homes can have on communities, especially when they fall into disrepair. Not only can they attract vermin and become a focal point for anti-social behaviour, but they can pose a risk to public safety and reduce the value of other properties in the area. In this instance, the empty house was having a detrimental impact on the structure of the property next door and emergency action needed to be taken.

“We are committed to bringing empty homes back into use, as part of our wider work to enhance the vibrancy of towns and villages across the county. Last year, our efforts resulted in us securing five awards at the Empty Homes National Conference. This sale is another great result for the team, and I wish the new owners the very best of luck for the future.”

When empty homes are reported to the council, the Empty Homes Team takes steps to identify and contact the owner to encourage them to bring the house back into use, providing advice, support and, in some cases, financial assistance. For more complex long-term properties, the council will engage with partners to identify the most appropriate action. This could be enforcement action against the owner or an enforced sale.

For more information and to report an empty home in County Durham, visit www.durham.gov.uk/emptyhomes.

To find out more about National Empty Homes Week, visit www.actiononemptyhomes.org/ehweek.