Borough's housing demand at record levels - report

Councillors are due to consider Rotherham's 2025-30 draft housing strategy next week

Families in Rotherham face intense competition for council-owned homes, with an average of 93 bids for every property advertised, a new report has revealed.

That figure had risen by 80% since 2022, according to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council's newly published draft housing strategy.

The strategy, due to be scrutinised by councillors at a meeting next week, sets out the council's plans to tackle housing issues in the borough over the next five years.

The authority would fulfil its pledge to deliver 1,000 new council homes by 2027, with more than 700 already built or bought, but almost as many had been lost through the Right to Buy scheme since 2018, the draft strategy showed.

Demand for housing in the borough was now at record levels, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

One resident who took part in a council-run consultation into housing in the area said they would rather be provided with help to buy a house, because renting was more expensive.

Another called for older, single people to be helped to move to smaller properties to allow families to obtain bigger houses.

Fuel poverty

As part of the authority's 2025-30 draft housing strategy, the council promised a £37m investment programme to make existing homes warmer and cheaper to run.

A pilot scheme in Maltby had already cut bills by an average of £426 a year for tenants, councillors will be told.

The draft also noted that fuel poverty affected one in six households in Rotherham, with single parents and private renters worst hit.

In response, tackling damp, mould, and poor energy efficiency would be considered a priority.

Action against bad landlords would also continue through selective licensing schemes, which required landlords in designated areas to hold a licence, according to the draft strategy.

Proposals to expand the scheme sparked opposition in Clifton earlier this year, but the council said it remained under review.

An Empty Homes Officer was working to bring long-term vacant properties back into use, with 62 reclaimed since 2022, the strategy said.

Meanwhile, £216,000 a year had also been set aside for unspecified community improvements, councillors are expected to be told.

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