RENT owed by the 26,000 council house tenants in Kirklees has fallen to its lowest level in three years.
Their arrears stand at £2.8m, it was revealed today.
Housing chiefs pledged they would continue their drive to get the total down.
Cliff Whiteley, chairman of Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing, said: "We are contacting tenants as soon as they fall into arrears and making them aware of the consequences of not paying their rent and warning them of the risk that they could lose their home.
"Tenants who refuse to pay despite reminders, or who ignore court orders to pay, are evicted."
The arrears are at their lowest since May 2000.
They have reduced by more than £750,000 this year and housing chiefs expect they will continue to fall.
Mr Whiteley said the clearing of payment backlogs by the council's revenues and benefits services had been a significant factor.
There was no alternative to eviction in some cases, he said.
Mr Whiteley added: "Tenants who have been evicted for rent arrears will not be re-housed until the arrears have been paid.".
He urged people in arrears to try to catch up during the rent-free weeks commencing December 22 and 29.
As an additional incentive all tenants with a clear rent account on December 15 will be entered into a prize draw to win one of two Christmas hampers.
Principal housing manager Roy Ibbotson said: "It is important that tenants contact us as soon as they realise they cannot pay the rent.
"It is never too late and we will do our best to help them in every case."
