COUNCIL house tenants will soon be speaking to their landlords over a high-tech link called Tellytalk.

The new, free system covers the former Wear Valley district and links Crook Civic Centre with Dale & Valley Homes staff six miles away in South Church.

As well as seeing each other and talking on a phone link, they can send documents electronically and sign forms remotely.

If it proves successful, the system will be installed in other housing offices.

Customer Lesley Mellis said: "The key thing is that people will feel more comfortable using it because they can actually see the person on the other end and feel they have personal contact with them."

Pat Wanless, director of housing for the company, said: "Tellytalk is just one of the ways we can keep in touch with our customers. It allows us to have personal contact, see documents and deal with most things on the spot.

"Our customers tell us that they want us to visit them at home, and we are doing more of that as well, but this is an alternative which may suit other customers better.

"At present we only have one terminal in the Civic Centre, but it may be possible to have others around the district if it proves popular."