Empty properties in West Dunbartonshire are set for a new lease of life, following £150,000 of funding.

The money is being allocated from the Scottish government’s Empty Homes Fund, which provides loans to homeowners who need financial help bringing properties back up to a lettable standard.

The properties will then be required to be leased out as affordable housing for a minimum of 5 years.

The loan scheme is part of Homes Again West Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire; a partnership between West Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire Councils and the Scottish government.

The initiative aims to bring private sector homes that have been empty for over six months back into use.

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A dedicated Empty Homes Officer has been employed to work across the two council areas, helping homeowners access other incentives to bring their empty homes back into use.

Empty Homes Officer Kathryn Kelly explained: "West Dunbartonshire currently has over 300 long term empty homes. The main issue that owners seem to be having is that the properties are stuck on the market, unable to sell. The Property Matchmaker is like a 'dating agency' for empty homes: it matches empty property home owners who would like to sell their property with people who want to buy an empty property. The Matchmaker scheme is already working well across five other council areas and I hope it will have similar success in West Dunbartonshire."

Councillor David McBride, Convener for Housing, Environmental Services and Economic Development, said: "Empty homes are a wasted resource that could be used to help meet the area's need for affordable housing. They can also cause problems for residents living in their vicinity, and can have a negative impact on the wider community.

"Bringing empty homes back into use is a positive thing on so many levels - it increases housing supply and boosts local regeneration and community safety."

(IT/GK)