Hundreds of owners of Hounslow's empty and boarded-up houses were warned to get their properties back in shape last week as part of a London-wide campaign to deter vandals and ease the housing shortage.

Hounslow Council is one of seven local authorities in the West London Housing Partnership (WLHP), where there are about 15,000 privately-owned unoccupied properties.

Many of these houses are out of use because they need repairs or renovation to make them habitable again. While empty they are vulnerable to break-ins by squatters, vandals, drug dealers and arsonists.

Councillor Mark Bowen, deputy leader of Hounslow Council, said: "Bringing empty homes back into use is a sensible way of making a contribution towards easing the housing shortage in west London and it removes potential hotspots for antisocial behaviour."

The aim of London Empty Homes Week of Action was to push owners of vacant properties to contact their council and find out about the advice and grants available to them to make the homes habitable again.

Councils now have tough powers under the Housing Act to repossess buildings that have been vacant for six months or more.

Some owners are elderly or vulnerable and need help, so boroughs in the WLHP have been working to bring derelict houses back into use.

Michelle Ashinwo of Empty Homes Agency, which organises London's week of action, said the average grant to renovate dilapidated homes in Hounslow is £7,500.

One of the first Empy Dwelling Management Orders used in London will be used on a property in Hounslow. The council tried to trace the owners for four years, but with no response. Hounslow Council was expected to obtain the order this week.

In the last 12 months nearly 200 properties in the seven west London boroughs have been renovated and put back into use.

There are more than half a million empty properties in England and half of these have been vacant for longer than six months.