Housing staff in the Cowdenbeath area have pledged to improve performance after rent collection rates and the time taken to reallocate empty properties fell below standard.

Members of the Cowdenbeath area committee heard on Wednesday how it had taken Fife Council around 54 days to turn around and reallocate void properties across the area in the first half of 2021/22, compared with the Fife average of just 44 days.    

Recouping rent also continues to be a challenge in the area, with a 95.03 per cent collection rate falling short of the 96.14 per cent Fife-wide average.

The figures prompted some concern among councillors, including Labour’s Alex Campbell.

“I’m very disappointed in the 54 days figure in particular,” he noted.

“That’s practically nine weeks that the council has been losing rent money for.

“I was on a walkabout a few months back and there was massive frustration about getting things done and the time it takes to get something done.”

In response, area housing manager Russel Gray acknowledged that the performance in relation to both statistics were unacceptable.

“We are working hard with our building services to improve this performance in terms of how quickly we can turn these properties around,” he added.

“In mitigation there has been issues with sourcing materials and periods of staff shortages due to isolation rules, but we are striving to improve things.”

In relation to rents, Mr Gray said much of the focus had been on assisting tenants who were facing financial pressures during the pandemic, and providing advice and assistance to those who were self-employed, faced redundancy or part of the government’s furlough scheme. 

To that end, a total of 91 rent allowances were awarded to tenants in the Cowdenbeath area over the first two quarters of the year – amounting to more than £13,000.

Councillors also heard that the council has redoubled its efforts to prevent homelessness by providing high quality housing advice.

That has seen the creation of new housing options officers, effectively bringing together the two roles of housing access officer and homeless persons officer, and will see officers deal with people presenting as homeless right through the process to allocating them housing in their preferred area.

“It’s all about more effective case management and also having good advice,” Mr Gray added.

“There’s no point in someone saying they want a property in Dalgety Bay or St Andrews where the turnover isn’t there, but with this approach they are meeting that person from the very beginning and will be able to give better advice on accommodation.

“The aim is to prevent homeless by delivering enhanced housing options advice and initiating early intervention actions.”