By Martyn Smith
The cost was revealed at a meeting of the authority鈥檚 Corporate Parenting Board on July 2 in response to concerns raised at the authority
At the meeting, councillors heard answers to questions about why seemingly perfectly good flooring was being ripped out of council homes.
Committee chairperson, Cllr Wayne Little, said: 鈥淲e wanted reassurance that if it鈥檚 decent it isn鈥檛 just taken up blindly because there is some policy that says it has to be done, even though good sense says it could stay down.鈥
A report for the committee said while the Inside Housing publication says the average cost to install floor coverings is estimated at 拢920, Dudley鈥檚 costs are around 拢2,500 per property.
The council鈥檚 housing director Katherine Jones told the committee her department turns over around 1,000 homes for new tenants every year.
Ms Jones said: 鈥淲hat we are talking about here is living rooms, bedrooms, halls, stairs and landings.
鈥淲e keep on our radar at all times that it is something that requires significant investment, it鈥檚 not an insignificant amount of money that will be required.
鈥淲e are currently having to balance that with the fact there is no additional budget.鈥
Flooring is removed for new tenants due to a number of reasons, used carpet and flooring can be a health risk if infested with pests like fleas or mites and can be contaminated with allergens, bacteria and odours.
Also some types of flooring installed by tenants like laminate can be damaged or breach regulations including fire safety rules.
Ms Jones added: 鈥淚t is not a case of just lifting that up just because we have a void turnaround.
鈥淲e may have flooring down that on the face of it looks neat and tidy and could be left in but we always check for infestations which can鈥檛 always be seen, and for things like fire safety.
鈥淭here is not a blanket policy on removing flooring.鈥