The move will allow tradespeople to prioritise work that needs to be done to vacant council properties to bring more of them back into residential use.

South Lanarkshire Council said this will help bring down the housing waiting list and ensure it can speed up the process around homelessness services.

The current backlog in empty properties, which need repairs and improvements before they can be returned to tenant use, emerged following the severe cold snap in December when work on empty properties had to be delayed to prioritise the emergency response to burst pipes and other issues. That prioritisation allowed tenants to return to their homes as quickly as possible.

To help clear the resulting backlog, a decision has been made to temporarily suspend non-urgent repairs to council homes from this week in order to free up resources.

Head of housing services, Sharon Egan, said: “All urgent emergency repairs will continue to take place.

“Some examples of emergency repairs are if there is no heating or hot water, no lights, flooding, danger of injury or damage to persons or property, or when heating repairs or lock changes are required.

“Progress on the void backlog will be monitored by the Resource Management Team on a weekly basis and a date for recommencement of non-urgent repairs will be agreed and advised in due course.

“We would appreciate tenants support in this matter, recognising that the focus on empty properties is essential to speed up the process for our homelessness service, support the current housing need crisis, ensure suitable offers of housing progress to those with significant and urgent housing need and that as a council, we continue to meet statutory obligations.”