With so many people trying to use the web as a means of wringing even more money out of the already lucrative property market, it's refreshing to see an original idea that goes some way to putting money back into the pockets of tenants.

If you'll pardon the blatant use of the web marketing cliché of the year, the News on the Block service provides ?community portals' for individual apartment blocks all around the country.  Residents in each of the blocks covered by the service will be given their own login details that will give them exclusive access to an information portal tailored to their block.

As well as pertinent news of local happenings, the portals will feature chat boards and classified adverts so neighbours can sell their unwanted Christmas presents to each other.  Also included is a mould of original editorial material created NOTB's own team and hopefully, the residents themselves - the site plans to pay people £10 for every article they contribute.  The aim is to encourage as much user interaction as possible, after all, the only way this service will succeed is if it persuades residents to return regularly.

A key feature of the portal is the local business directory, as this is where the site intends to generate most of its revenue by selling enhanced listings.  Keeping such a directory up to date is a time consuming affair, and the site's creators are relying heavily on feedback from people to keep links and contact details up to date.

As the concept as a whole seems dependant on residents maintaining a degree of enthusiasm about the service once the initial novelty has worn off, it's not unreasonable to wonder exactly how NOTB intends to keep them coming back.  As founder Harvey Shulman explains, 10 per cent of the revenue from each portal will be contributed towards the block's service charges, which can significantly reduce the fees paid by residents.  Sticky content is all well and good, but you can't beat cold hard cash for an incentive.

INTERNET MAGAZINE, 1st February 2001