Moray Council could soon have an officer dedicated to getting tenants to downsize in an attempt to ease the region’s housing crisis.
Residents with empty bedrooms are currently offered nearly £2,000 as an incentive to move into smaller homes.
However it has been revealed that uptake of the scheme remains slow, with nearly half this year’s budget for the 25-household target remaining unspent.
Council management have done a review of the scheme in order to find new ways to encourage authority tenants to move out.
And yesterday it was announced that the proposals could include a member of staff tasked with enticing residents to swap homes.
Last night Donald Gatt, vice-chairman of the council’s communities committee, backed the investigation to find ways to encourage people to downsize but stressed that the steps must be taken sensitively.
He said: “The important thing to remember is that you can’t force people to move. Obviously, over time, people raise their families and become comfortable in their surroundings so I can understand them wanting to stay.
“From the council’s point of view, we just need to publicise the financial incentives as much as possible. It’s something we all agree on, from all political parties and none.
“It’s not going to make a huge dent in our housing situation but everybody who takes it up will help that, plus there’s the financial benefit there for the people willing to do so.”
Moray Council currently offers a basic grant of £1,500 plus £400 for every bedroom given up as a cash incentive to encourage people to move.
Last year, after uptake of the scheme was slow, councillors agreed to increase the offer by adding an extra £400 as a “disruption allowance”.
Residents are also offered practical support in notifying firms about viewings, changing addresses with firms, filling in forms and disposing of unwanted furniture.
However, at yesterday’s meeting of the communities committee, housing officers revealed that the current financial year’s budget of £72,000 has been underspent by £32,000.
Moray Council is currently on track to exceed its annual target of 70 new authority homes over the next three years – but has warned its waiting list has 3,500 people on it.
Head of housing and property Richard Anderson explained that the internal review, which will determine whether there is a “benefit” from having a dedicated downsizing officer, is expected to be finished before June.
He said: “We’ve got area housing officers who go out to the housing estates to meet tenants who are thinking about downsizing.
“One of the things we are considering is whether we need a resource dedicated to downsizing.
“There’s a financial benefit to us from that but we would need to take that resource away from elsewhere. Ultimately, there is a benefit but we need to weigh that up.”
