A SPOT check walkabout of South Kessock's eight streets in December showed 67 houses empty, 12 with broken windows, 51 litter-strewn gardens, and 12 abandoned vehicles.

At the last meeting of South Kessock Residents Association of the year, members complained that they were paying full rent and yet had to put up with eyesores. The knock-on effect of empty houses, they pointed out, could also be felt at local schools and shops. It was suggested that in order to sell the less frequently highlighted charms of the area, a couple of empty houses could be done up as show homes.

Prospective tenants seeing long-empty properties with no power and shuttered windows were not likely to fall over themselves to rent a house in the area. And they should not have to go in and write a long list of what needs doing to a house before it is liveable. However, it was pointed out that the Council spends £60,000 a year in the area on window repairs alone and that there was no way they would take down the shutters on a house until the key had been signed for.

It was suggested that an initial rent-free period might be a good bait for new tenants, and it is hoped to run a Best Garden contest in South Kessock to encourage more people to take pride in their surroundings.