A HOUSING organisation is trying to win the hearts and minds of a town's tenants.

Erimus Housing, which plans to manage Middlesbrough's 13,000 council houses, is taking to the streets with a roadshow highlighting the kind of improvements it will carry out, if tenants give approval to the transfer proposals.

Tenants have the right to vote on the initiative, but Middlesbrough Council said with £148m needed to upgrade the estates durng the next ten years - money it has not got - there is no alternative.

It has estimated the bill could increase to £481m during the next 30 years.

The Government has instructed local authorities to meet new standards with their housing stock by 2010.

The council said Erimus - a new independent organisation - will be independent, run on a not-for-profit basis and will have a management board made up of tenants, councillors and independent people.

The roadshow, which is launched tomorrow, has a walk-through "showhouse" style layout.

Councillor Bob Brady, chairman of the shadow board, said: "The roadshow aims to bring home to tenants the kind of improvements that Erimus Housing will be able to carry out. The sole reason we are advocating transfer is that it will mean better quality housing and a better quality of life for our council tenants."

Tenants will vote of the transfer proposals later this year.

About 400 council housing staff will transfer to the organisation.