Landlord offers tenants cash incentive to downsize

A2Dominion has launched ‘Its Your Move’ which is targeting residents living in its homes across southern England and seeks to free up larger properties for families on housing waiting lists.

Residents living in under-occupied homes are being offered £1,000 for every spare bedroom given up, up to £500 toward decorating costs and up to £700 toward removal costs.

Laurinda Hornblow, A2Dominion area director (north), said: ‘This campaign supports the government’s proposals to tackle under-occupancy in social housing and encourages better use of existing housing stock.’

Government plans which may come into effect from April 2013 include new size criteria for social housing benefit claims.

The proposals would see households with one spare room lose 15 per cent of their housing benefit and those with two or more spare rooms lose 25 per cent.

The plans are part of the Welfare Reform Bill which is at the report stage in the House of Lords today (Monday).

Ms Hornblow added: ‘We are committed to freeing-up larger properties for families on the housing waiting list and helping to reduce homelessness.

‘We want to help residents who under occupy their homes to move by offering an incentive to downsize to a property more suited to their needs. This will allow them to retain the maximum benefit entitlements available to them and could also reduce their rental, council tax and utility costs.’