A new report has claimed that local authorities in the UK are placing too great a focus on building new property in order to meet government targets to increase the country's new and affordable housing stock.
However, the Audit Commission claims that a more affordable option may be renovating buildings which are currently lying empty - which could include making them more sustainable allowing for better energy efficiency.
Indeed, such a course of action could help tenants to save money through
cheaper gas and electricity bills.
The commission's Better Lives - Getting the best from strategic housing report has revealed that 94 per cent of local authorities are prioritising building new properties, which could prove expensive as the recession makes budgets tight.
"In tougher times, it is all the more important that councils think strategically and creatively about housing and take their housing responsibilities seriously," said Michael O'Higgins, chairman of the Audit Commission.
Gordon Miller, founder of whatgreenhome.com, recently suggested that more needs to be done to improve the energy efficiency of the UK's housing stock in order to reduce carbon emissions in line with government targets.
