Approached by a Social Housing Provider?

I have been approached by a Social Housing Provider to use my property as a domestic violence/women’s refuge now it has become completely vacant. They offer their clients licences as opposed to as AST.

I am assuming they also are exempt (and therefore I do not need to apply for ) an HMO licence? They are a small Ltd company local to the area and while I’d love the idea of the property being used in this way, I am of course worried about the implications.

I have asked questions before about the Rent to Rent system, but is this more of a commercial let and therefore if entered into on a fully commercial basis (I will ask my solicitor to draw up the contract) will this be less risky?

I still don’t fully understand how these Landlord/Provider/Tenant relationships work exactly as there seems very little to read up on them. Seems like an area shrouded in mystery. I don’t really understand how such SP get clients – if they come through the system from the LA as a referral or told to apply directly to the SP then surely the LA’s check up on the SP’s to ensure they are working to a certain standard and remit?

Are the LA’s literally referring clients to look elsewhere for help simply as they can’t help them directly, and therefore there is a whole ‘middle area’ which has been bourne from this situation?

Who regulates the SP’s? How are they assessed? What licencing to they need themselves to operate? I read/heard somewhere that ltd company SP’s can simply up and go leaving the LL to deal with the clients/tenants directly. Where does a landlord stand then??

Is this really a total minefield just not to enter under any circumstance?

Reluctant Landlord