Owners exploring empty-home support in the East Midlands should look beyond the maximum grant figure. Charnwood Borough Council’s published Partnership Grant is tied to a particular housing outcome: bringing a two-bedroom property back into use for renting.
The council’s stated terms
The council invites enquiries from owners whose properties have been empty for six months or more. Its page says it is seeking two-bedroom empty homes within the borough and that the grant covers half the cost of works, capped at £15,000. In return, the home must be made available for rent.
The live page links to the council’s April 2025 Private Sector Housing Grants Policy and directs owners to its Private Sector Housing Team for information. Owners should ask the team to confirm current funding, eligible works and all continuing conditions before relying on the offer.
Why the percentage matters
A maximum award is not the same as full funding. As a simple illustration of the published 50% rate, eligible works costing £20,000 would imply £10,000 of support before any further assessment or conditions. This arithmetic is not an application decision. Costs beyond what is accepted by the council remain a separate part of the owner’s budget.
Prepare a proposal around the outcome
Explain how the refurbishment will produce a home ready to let, not only how the building will look when contractors leave. Ask about required standards, completion evidence and the letting arrangements expected after the work. Confirm whether there are restrictions on rent, nomination arrangements, ownership changes or repayment that apply to the actual offer.
A useful first enquiry includes the address, number of bedrooms, vacancy dates, ownership details and the broad works needed. Obtain guidance before commissioning work so the order of survey, approval and expenditure is understood. Keep enough contingency for defects that are not visible at the outset.
This is a Charnwood example rather than a region-wide entitlement. Other East Midlands authorities may offer different help or no financial support. We have replaced our February 2025 archive’s broad vacancy statistics and regional grant claims with this focused, source-checked explanation. The council’s live page was reviewed on 5 November 2026; the published offer does not establish approval or available budget for any individual applicant.