A Keighley charity plans to bring 25 houses back into use with £260,000 of Government funding.

Housing service Keyhouse will renovate the houses then rent them to people on low incomes.

Funding is being provided through the Government’s Empty Homes Community Grants Programme.

The charity is now looking for property owners who may be interested in getting involved with the scheme.

It urges them to attend an information event next Thursday at Central Hall, Alice Street, from 2pm to 6pm.

Suitable candidates could be landlords who cannot afford to improve their houses, or buy-to-let investors stuck with low-value properties.

Keyhouse also wants to hear from people who have inherited a rundown house, or householders who moved out but were unable to sell their original home.

Keyhouse manager Graham Mynott said: “We’d like 25 properties where we can start to have serious conversations with landlords as soon as possible.

“There are lots of empty properties in Keighley. We got a figure from the council of more than 200 that were empty in central Keighley.

Mr Mynott stressed that the renovation money – up to £11,000 per house – will not be in the form of grants.

The owner of each building will be expected to lease it to Keyhouse for between 10 and 15 years.

Keyhouse can be contacted on (01535) 211311.