THOUSANDS of council house tenants in Middlesbrough are being urged to vote for a new landlord.

Ballot papers have been delivered to tenants to vote on a Middlesbrough Council recommendation to transfer its 13,000 council houses to non-profit making organisation, Erimus Housing.

The council says Erimus will be able to carry out about £103m of repairs and improvements to homes in five years, if tenants back a proposed handover of the town's housing stock.

The authority argues the transfer to an organisation managed by a board of tenants, councillors and independent board members, is the only way forward.

Tenants have until February 11 to return their voting papers in pre-paid envelopes.

Council officials launched the transfer proposal months ago, claiming the local authority did not have the £148m needed to upgrade its houses during the next ten years, a bill which could increase to £481m in the next 30 years.

But two months after Erimus arranged a roadshow aimed at winning tenants' approval last year, the scheme received a setback.

Brian Dinsdale, the council's chief executive, admitted that various issues had to be resolved before tenants could be formally consulted and balloted.

That put an end to plans for a ballot last year and resulted in the council appealing for help to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's office after it emerged that every month of delay in the transfer timetable would cost the council £30,000 in additional fees to consultants.

With the scheme now back on track, the town's housing chief yesterday called on tenants to approve the move.

Councillor Ron Lowes, Middlesbrough Council's executive member for housing, said: "This is a very important decision for our tenant consultation and I would encourage them to use their vote and have their say. I am firmly of the opinion that transfer to Erimus housing is the best option for tenants, but it is up to them to decide."

The ballot is a postal vote and follows consultation involving newsletters, meetings, a mobile information unit, a video, home visits and a consultation document.

Stockton and Hartlepool councils have transferred their housing stock to non- profit making companies.