A pilot scheme which offers Edinburgh tenants financial help in moving to smaller homes has seen a 72% increase in applications from people living in homes too large for their housing needs.
The Tenants Incentive Scheme started in May 2011 and tenants can benefit from up to £1,000 worth of help in moving to smaller homes. Fifteen tenants have moved under the scheme up to the beginning of this month with a further 122 people seeking to move (up from 71 before it started).
The scheme, which is run by The City of Edinburgh Council, aims to free up much needed housing space for those families who are living in a property with three or more bedrooms and are interested in moving to a smaller home.
Under the city-wide initiative, tenants who have successfully bid for another available home advertised through EH – Your Key to Choice (Edinburgh’s choice based lettings system) can get assistance up to a value of £1,000 to help with moving costs. This includes removals/packing and decoration.
Councillor Paul Edie, Housing Leader for Edinburgh, said: “It’s very encouraging that so many tenants have expressed an interest in taking part in this scheme as it’s all about trying to help increase the supply of larger family accommodation in the city. The first few months of the scheme has seen fifteen tenants move which has freed up much needed larger accommodation. This includes one five bedroom house in Bingham. No one wants to see rooms lying empty in some of our larger Council homes when other families are living in over-crowded accommodation. Tenants now have an incentive to move and free up this larger family accommodation.”
A sum of £50,000 has set aside for the initial pilot project which will then be evaluated to allow the Council to decide on future incentive options.
