INCENTIVES including free gas and electricity checks will be offered to landlords to encourage them to take on new tenants.

In a bid to combat the chronic shortage of affordable and council housing in the borough, Barrow Council are to implement a new scheme to bring private landlords into the fold.

At a meeting of the council's executive committee, councillors heard of the plan to offer free gas checks, electric checks and smoke and CO2 detectors to ensure their properties meet the council's safety standards.

Chair of the committee and leader of Barrow Council, cllr Dave Pidduck, said: "It's an initiative that is really important. We have land lords that have short and long term apartments. If we can get them to join the scheme that will be for the benefit of the town but also for then. They will benefit working with the local council."

Earlier this year The Mail reported on the crisis faced by the borough council in trying to provide affordable housing for residents.

If fully implemented this incentive scheme will allow the council to offer six to 12 month leases for those presenting to the council's homelessness service.

The council stressed no monetary support will be given to private landlords, and the services on offer will fit within the existing responsibilities of the housing department.

In the past year an estimated 260 people in the borough avoided losing a home thanks to the work of the housing team. It is hoped this incentive scheme will provide another weapon in the council's arsenal to tackle homelessness.

Cllr Brendan Sweeney, said the move was a "no brainer" in terms of harnessing the abundance of good, respectable private landlords in the borough.

He said: "It's a no brainer. There is a huge number of private sector houses in the borough and there are really good landlords used to taking people in. This is encouraging more to have a go at it.