A campaign has been launched in an effort to identify empty properties which could be used as homes.

Waltham Forest Council has 24,000 people on its housing waiting list and is trying to enlist the public's help to find as many vacant properties as possible with a view to bringing them back into use.

It is delivering postcards to homes and libraries which can be cut in half – one side to post to the council identifying a suitable property and one to post through the property’s letter box encouraging landlords to get in touch.

Cllr Marie Pye, cabinet member for housing, said: “At a time when property is at such a premium it is a terrible thing to see it sitting empty when with a little TLC it might be brought back into use, so we’re asking the residents of the borough to help.

“If you’ve got an empty property in your neighbourhood let us know about it and we’ll see if we can’t get hold of the landlord and encourage them to make it back into a home for someone to live in.

“Now more than ever we need to do everything we possibly can to find homes to meet the need.”

The council can offer landlords a grant to renovate properties, and even guarantee their rent through Lettings Waltham Forest, the in-house lettings agency established in partnership between the council and arms length management organisation Ascham Homes.

Landlords interested in finding out more about the grant scheme can contact the Empty Property Team on 020 8496 3000 or email empty.property@walthamforest.gov.uk for more information.