Thumbs up for rent texts

Texts were sent to council debtors

Officials at Fife Council are hailing as a success an experiment in which tenants with rent arrears were sent reminders by text.

The scheme started with a small mobile phone memory-jogging trial in two local housing offices in Fife at the start of this year.

It proved encouraging and there has now been a bigger test which has also proved favourable, comparing well with other - more traditional methods - such as letters.

The authority texted more than 200 tenants in arrears and received responses from about 40%.

A council chief said that one centre reported receiving five responses within 10 minutes of messages being transmitted. He added that the system could be useful, too, in telling tenants about repairs and other appointments.

Arrears have been reduced from £2.48m to £2.35m during the last eight months.

Scheme widened

Councillor Alex Sawers, the authority's housing spokesman, said sometimes all it took was a gentle reminder - and the council needed to focus on communication methods which guaranteed results.

He said: "Bringing down rent arrears is a major commitment for this council.

"As well as more conventional ways, we need to focus on methods of communication which guarantee contact with the tenant."

Housing management team leader Gerry McGloin added: "As well as rent arrears we can text for a whole range of other purposes such as keeping people informed on when we can carry out a repair, and we will be trying these as well in the future.

"We will now be looking at using texting on a much more regular basis as an addition to our more traditional ways of contacting people."

The authority says other council officials across the country now have their thumbs at the ready, as they prepare to copy its high-tech scheme.