Empty homes repaired for rental with help of grant

The council wants to bring empty homes back into use

A scheme in Staffordshire could see empty privately-owned homes being rented out to people on the local council's housing waiting list.

Tamworth Borough council is offering a number of grants of up to £10,000 to help some people who own empty properties carry out repairs.

The owner would then let the council rent out the property to people on its housing list for the next three years.

The homeowner would keep the rental income.

'Empty properties'

The council said it estimated there were about 250 empty properties in the borough which could be used to provide housing for people looking for accommodation.

It said the scheme was aimed at people who may have been left property and could not afford to maintain it, homeowners with no savings or people who had not been able to look after the home, because they were ill or living elsewhere.

Councillor Mary Oates, cabinet member for quality of life, said: "We have a number of empty properties across the borough which could provide housing for people wishing to live in Tamworth.

"We are keen to work with people who may not be able to maintain these properties or who are not aware what support is available," she added.

The council said it classed empty homes as properties which had been left vacant for six months or longer.