Relocation, Relocation?

A massive increase in the waiting list for a family-sized council house in Northampton means officials in the town are offering cash incentives to move.

Kids flown the nest?  House too big for you to cope with?  We can pay you to move...

That's the message from Northampton Borough Council and its housing associations tenants who are willing to downsize to smaller properties in order to free up much needed family accommodation.

Tenants wishing to move to smaller sized homes are being offered £500 for each spare bedroom they no longer need as well as financial help and support with moving, upto £300.

It follows a big increase in the waiting list for a family-sized home which has gone up by more than 40 percent in the last year - from 2,034 in February 2009 to 3,592 this February.

Councillor Sally Beardsworth, Northampton Borough Council cabinet member for housing, said: "More people are looking to move into social housing as a result of the economic downturn. Many of them are looking for family-sized homes so we hope this incentive scheme will increase the number that become available for rent by making better use of our existing stock.”

Councillor Beardsworth added: “The idea behind the scheme is to increase the amount of family sized homes available for people on the housing waiting list. It offers a great deal for those who may be thinking about downsizing, perhaps older people who want to move to a smaller new home with lower energy bills or maybe families with older children who are ready to fly the nest.

Any tenant wanting more information can call Northampton Borough Council’s home choice team on Northampton 837936 or 837942, or attend home choice information surgeries being held every Thursday evenings from 6pm to 8pm at the Guildhall’s One Stop Shop.

Or you can find more details here