REDDITCH Council has now introduced its Void Incentive Scheme, offering tenants the chance to receive £150 if they leave their council property in an agreed condition when they move out.

When a tenant gives notice they intend to vacate a property, they will be visited by an officer who will carry out an inspection of the property.

During this visit the tenant will agree to set criteria which must be met to receive the payment.

Typical criteria will include tenants being required to clean the property throughout, ensure it is free from rubbish including loft, shed and garden areas and return two sets of keys, including keys for window locks, security doors and bin stores.

Council housing manager Liz Tompkin said: "By encouraging tenants to leave properties in a better condition, we can not only reduce the cost of cleaning and refitting properties but also reduce the time that properties are left vacant and re-let them sooner to people on the waiting list."

Tenants will receive the £150 payment following a second inspection when they have vacated their property but if in rent arrears, their payment will be used to offset those.