A CRACKDOWN on Worcester's long-term empty homes is being launched in a bid to bring shoddy properties up to scratch.

After years of concern about too many houses falling derelict, council chiefs want to use powerful new laws to end the blight.

The Worcester News can reveal there are currently 47 long-term empty homes in the city which have been unoccupied for more than five years, including one in Mayfield Road, in Rainbow Hill, which has been abandoned since 2003.

The reasons for homes being left to rot vary but it often includes people dying, owners moving out and being too frail to make a decision, landlords refusing to play ball or people simply refusing to cooperate.

Now, a £50,000 fund is being drawn up to go into Worcester's worst private properties and bring them up to scratch.

The owner would then be forced to pay the bill, which could include court action to recover the costs or more typically a sale charge, where they must sell it on and use some of the proceeds to reimburse taxpayers.

The policy is being launched by Worcester City Council's Labour leadership, which has hit out at the terrible condition of some empty homes.

The Labour cabinet is meeting on Tuesday to endorse the policy, with the £50,000 being a 'recycled' fund that will be topped up when money goes back to the council.

But officials say the cash will be enough to tackle the worst three derelict homes in Worcester immediately, although the addresses are being kept confidential.

Cllr Roger Berry, cabinet member for housing and heritage, said: "The hardship these homes can cause neighbours and the local community is unbelievable.

"I'm pleased it's been possible to bring a report to cabinet to tackle this problem because very little has been done over the last 20 years.

"Often these cases have existed over many years with unfortunate individual circumstances behind them, but this fund will allow us to work on the first three and it will replenish over time as homes are sold."

A report going the cabinet says the three homes identified for the earliest work are "currently causing a nuisance to neighbouring properties due to their state of disrepair".

It also says if properties become obviously insecure problems like trespassing, leaking roofs, anti-social behaviour, wood rot and vermin get worse, potentially harming the value of neighbouring homes.

Council workers have already tried to persuade many landlords to sell homes on the open market, calling it "extremely time consuming" with no meaningful success.

At the moment the council's waiting list for a house has 2,784 applicants on it, although the figure changes almost daily.