West Midlands council house tenants in arrears by millions
Thousands of council house tenants in the West Midlands are behind with their rent in the run up to Christmas – with housing bosses chasing millions of pounds.
Housing chiefs in Dudley and Wolverhampton – £2.9 million out of pocket alone – have launched campaigns urging people to pay their rent before buying Christmas presents.
In Wolverhampton, 9,218 tenants owe £1,338,309.
This includes 8,237 Wolverhampton Homes tenants –more than a quarter of the people renting .
The organisation is giving people the week starting Christmas Eve rent free so that those who have paid on time have some extra cash while those who are behind have time to catch up.
Mark Henderson, director of housing, said they had launched their annual Rent First campaign and urged tenants to contact them if concerned about money.
Their Money Smart Team would be able to help."
In Dudley, tenants owe £1,568,570 compared to £1,771,412 in October 2009.
Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, cabinet member for housing services, said: "We have established specialised teams to help tackle rent arrears and as a result of this there has been a continuous reduction in rent arrears in recent years.
"Our Christmas rent campaign aims to remind tenants of the importance of paying their rent and to signpost people to support and advice if they are in financial difficulty. Similar campaigns in previous years have helped minimise our tenants' debts and maximise the council's rental income."
Wolverhampton Homes are spending a fortnight encouraging tenants to prioritise rent, offering support and telling how to access money smart advice, low cost fuel tariffs, affordable credit, and pension service referrals.
This year's campaign provides advice and guidance about welfare reform, in preparation for coming benefits system changes.
By Daniel Wainwright
