Perth and Kinross Council tenants could be offered £2k to move to smaller homes as rents rise 6%

Council tenants in Perth and Kinross could be offered £2,000 in cash to move to smaller homes.

Housing officers say the payment could free up properties for families who are stuck in overcrowded housing.

They estimate there are around 2,000 tenants in houses that are bigger than they need.

The proposed Tenant Downsizing Scheme would offer £2,000 in cash, or other incentives, such as new carpets or removal costs, up to the value of £2,000.

And the aim is to target tenants who haven’t previously thought about moving.

Perth and Kinross Council says housing figures don’t add up

There are around 120 Perth and Kinross Council tenants on the waiting list due to overcrowding.

A similar number are looking to be re-housed because their homes are bigger than they need.

But the council has looked more broadly at its mix of properties and tenants.

And it says it has identified around 2,000 people who are living in properties that are larger than necessary, given the size of their households.

These include more than 200 tenants who have two or more bedrooms more than they need for the number of people living there.

The council says public feedback suggests there is strong support for encouraging tenants with extra rooms to downsize.

A report to next Wednesday’s housing and wellbeing committee states: “A common theme… was that the council should ‘force’ tenants who are under-occupying their homes to move to a smaller property.

“However, this practice is expressly forbidden in legislation.

“Therefore, any intervention to free-up larger properties must be based on providing encouragement and incentives to downsize.”

Rents rise on cards too

Councillors will also be asked to approve a 6% rents rise for next year.

That will mean an average weekly rent increase of £4.78, taking an average
weekly rent to £84.52.

Perth and Kinross Council operates a Common Housing Register, along with Caledonia Housing Association, Hillcrest Homes and Kingdom Housing Association.

Between them the four landlords provide 11,000 affordable homes in Perth and Kinross.

Last year there were 3,306 applicants on the register.

There were also 196 homeless people waiting for permanent housing.

And the average homelessness case lasted 88 days.

Fife Council operates a similar policy to the Tenant Downsizing Scheme.

Councillor Tom McEwan, who convenes the Perth and Kinross committee, said it would allow the council to address the current mismatch.

“By encouraging tenants who are under-occupying their homes to downsize, we can free up larger properties for families who desperately need more space,” he said.