Hundreds of people have rushed to find out about council houses put up for grabs for the first time by Bradford Council.

The Council is trying to attract more tenants - even though it has a waiting list of more than 1,000 people.

Occupants are needed for the houses because many people are waiting for other specific areas.

Housing chief Councillor Jim O'Neill says many people do not bother to apply because they think the wait will be too long.

But an innovative scheme where the Council advertised full details of spare houses in the Telegraph & Argus brought 200 replies in only two weeks.

The successful pilot scheme is part of a package of measures by the Council to get tenants in all its 28,000 houses. Other projects include incentives to get people into hard to let houses through DIY vouchers, decorating and rent concessions.

Coun O'Neill, chairman of the housing services sub-committee, said the houses were in the "middle range" of popularity. He said people had been surprised how easy it was to rent at an average of £40 a week without joining a waiting list.

Since the T&A advert 15 homes have been let and 32 more applicants are being dealt with as future tenants.

The adverts gave a list of available properties, rental costs and offered free customer services.

Coun O'Neill said: "I am delighted about the response and want to continue and expand on this.

"We used the T&A and it has been well worth it to us. I am determined to get all our properties filled."

He said homes including flats for single people, bungalows for elderly people and three bedroomed family houses were available at Buttershaw, Little Horton, West Bowling and Keighley's Guardhouse estate.

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