Coun Simpson-Laing (Use powers to provide homes, Soapbox, May 29) calls on City of York Council to use powers to seize empty properties and bring them back into use.

She cites the example of Selby District Council, which aims to take over 300 empty homes by applying for Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs), although she knows the number of properties in York that could be subject to such orders is a small fraction of that number.

The order allows the council to refurbish the property and let it out for a limited period. However, the cost of restoring the property will often be considerably more than the rent, meaning the council would need to fund the difference and still eventually have to hand the property back to its owner.

In the three-and-a-half years since the powers were introduced, a total of 27 EDMOs have been implemented across the entire country. York council has gone further than most by launching a property management service called YorHome, which helps owners rent their property easily and cheaply. Our aim is to encourage owners to bring empty properties back into use rather than attempting to seize the property using complex and expensive powers that are unlikely to be successful.

Coun Jonathan Morley, Liberal Democrat executive member for health and adult social services, City of York Council (formerly responsible for housing), Hempland Lane, Heworth, York.