PO Box 1918, Sheffield, S1 2XX
Tel: 0114 2039568
E-mail:
Web: www.sheffield.gov.uk /
Mr Andrew Wilson / Our Ref:
Date: / 01 February 2013
Dear Mr Wilson,
Firstly, please accept our apologies for a late response to your request for information. We have no record of receiving the request you made via the What Do They Know website and first became aware of it when flagged by a member of staff on January 22nd. With regards to your request, we don’t disclose the information we hold about long-term empty properties. This decision is based on two reasons: the first, because an address can be used to identify an individual and can be considered a breach of the Data Protection Act; the second, disclosure can adversely affect, crime prevention.
We are obliged to deal with your request as a Freedom of Information request and subsequently issue a formal refusal notice to explain the reasons why we cannot disclose this information. Please find the refusal notice enclosed.
We would be happy to provide information relating to individual properties where the owner has given consent. Therefore, if you are interested in a particular property, we may be able to forward your contact details and expression of interest to the legal owner, if known.
The Council recognises that empty properties are a potential wasted resource from the point of view of the owner, a wasted opportunity from the point of view of a developer and a wasted asset from the point of view of local authorities charged with bringing forward sufficient land and housing to meet housing needs. The City Council’s Empty Properties Team has been working to tackle the issue of empty homes in Sheffield for a number of years and takes a dual approach to reducing the number of privately owned empty homes across the City. This involves encouragement /advice to bring properties back into use and enforcement action where appropriate.
The encouragement / advice element of the work has recently been strengthened by the creation of a small team of officers, whose role is to work with owners of privately owned empty properties across the city, to provide advice, guidance and solutions to help them bring their properties back into use and the team does try and where possible put owners looking to sell property in touch with buyers looking to purchase. If there is any other way the team can assist you then please contact the Housing & Regeneration team on 0114 2039568 or email
As we have dealt with your request under the Freedom of Information Act, you legally have the right to ask the City Council to review your request again. To do so you can contact; Mrs Susan Millington, Head of Strategy, Floor 4 Howden House, Union Street, Sheffield S1 2SH.
After this, if you are still not satisfied with the way that the City Council has complied with the Freedom of Information Act, you have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, email – , tel 0303 123 1113, website - www.ico.gov.uk, who will review the decision the City Council has made.
I am sorry we have been unable to help you in your enquiries but if you have any queries, please contact me on the details above.
Yours sincerely,
Christine Rose – Interim Programme Director