For almost a decade it was run-down, daubed with graffiti and, with weeds springing through the brickwork.

Now, anyone passing this semi-detached property, in Charteris Road, Allerton, would not recognise it.

Gone are the boarded up windows, the loose tiles, the unkempt garden, and in its place is a welcoming, smartly painted home, its garden bordered by a picket fence. It is a home of which both the residents and community can be proud.

The house is one of many long-term empty properties bought and renovated by Bradford Council, and sold on - in this case to the joint venture company Arise Yorkshire.

It is a success story, an example of what can be achieved through the hard work of a team dedicated to tackling empty homes in the district.

It is not an isolated case - the Council is making huge progress in addressing the problem, and is the third leading authority behind Liverpool and Birmingham. In 2009 there were 7302 long-term unoccupied homes that had been vacant for more than six months. That figure had fallen to 3942 last year.

“We are one of the better performing local authorities for empty homes,” says Bradford Council’s empty homes and loans manager David North, “Empty properties can impact upon the street and the community.”

“The figures are better than they have ever been,” adds Councillor Valerie Slater, Bradford Council’s executive member for housing, planning and transport, “A long-term empty property can blight an area and cause problems for local people who have a right to live in a clean, safe neighbourhood. We do everything we can to bring them back into use.”

Changes in council tax have had an effect . Exemption from council tax on empty properties has been reduced from 12 months to just one month, and an extra 50 per cent council tax is now charged on properties that have been empty for more than two years. At any time the district has between 1300 and 1400 properties that have been empty for this length of time.

There are many reasons as to why a property remains unoccupied. “It could be financial, owners may be in negative equity or the house may have been left in a will and they are unsure what to do. There could be family disputes, the owners could live abroad and have practical difficulties, or there may be mental health issues - there are often complex reasons,” says David. "We offer support and help.”

If there is equity in the property Bradford Council can offer an interest-free loan, repayable after five years, of up to £30,000 to bring it to a state in which it can be sold or let.

“It is a better proposition than going to a bank or building society,” says Coun Slater.

For smaller, vital repairs a grant can be offered. “We would assess the situation, as to whether there was no other means to pay,” adds Coun Slater.

Tracing an owner begins with the council tax system, but often the address listed is the unoccupied house. “My team use their expertise,” says David, “They speak to neighbours and use the internet. It is rare that we don’t find an owner."

Enforcement action can result in a Compulsory Purchase Order. This is, says David, “a last resort.”

Currently there are nine compulsory purchase orders in progress, with a further nine completed in 2014/15. Four owners are selling voluntarily after being contacted, with a further eight in progress.

If a property is compulsorily purchased and, despite efforts, an owner can't be found, payment for the property is held in an account for seven years to be claimed before being retained by the Council.

If a property is in a reasonable state of repair and not causing a nuisance, the owner does not have to act. “We are dealing with one property that has been empty for 19 years and the owner is happy to leave it,” says Coun Slater. “In other cases owners work on homes intermittently due to time and money restraints.”

An enforced sale can take place where debts, such as council tax are involved.

Contrary to a common public perception, the number of empty home falls far short of fulfilling the district’s future housing need, stresses Coun Slater.

The Council works with other agencies including the police, fire service and housing providers such as Key House, Horton Housing and Arise. “We can sell on properties that we have acquired,” says David.

A new regeneration-boosting law making it easier to alter historic buildings such as those in Little Germany, could also make an impact.