Broxtowe tenants to be paid to downsize to one bedroom

Ninety properties in the area have "spare" bedrooms in family homes, said the council

People living in council houses in part of Nottinghamshire could be paid up to £2,500 to downsize to one-bedroom properties.

Broxtowe Borough Council is setting aside £20,000 for the project after revealing 346 people were waiting for a house with three or four bedrooms.

The authority said it was common for family homes to become under-occupied after children moved away.

Councillors will decide whether to approve the scheme on Tuesday.

The council offers lifetime tenancies, but now plans to speak to relevant residents to see if they would be willing to move under the "Home Release Scheme".

Residents could be offered a basic grant of £1,000, with an extra £500 for each additional spare bedroom in the property.

Tenants could also get £500 if their property is in "high demand". However, the grant will be capped at £2,500.

The authority acknowledged that even with incentives not all households would wish to move

In documents, the authority stated that under-occupancy of homes "can lead to financial hardship", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It said: "Moving home to a smaller council property can be a daunting prospect for tenants who may have lived in their property for a number of years and may not feel they can do so without support.

"The Home Release Scheme puts into place financial support as well as the support of officers to assist with some of the practical arrangements.

"The council has a high demand for larger properties based on its waiting list profile, so additional homes to allocate to families would help those in high housing need on the waiting list or those that are threatened with homelessness."

To qualify for the scheme, residents must live in a two-bedroom property or larger and be downsizing to a one-bedroom property.

The council added: "It is acknowledged that not all households will wish to move, even when incentives and support are offered".

According to the authority, 90 households currently have "spare" bedrooms in family homes, with 19 of those under-occupying by two bedrooms.

Five four bedroom homes are currently under-occupied - and the council said it only had 56 four-bedroom properties in total.