Council says housing crisis is worsening as landlords exit market

Council says housing crisis is worsening as landlords exit market

9:44 AM, 13th February 2024, About 3 months ago 29

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Thurrock Council has revealed the growing challenges it faces in providing housing help to its residents, as the cost-of-living crisis and the exit of landlords from the private rental market put pressure on the system.

The council’s housing service has seen a 22% increase in homelessness demand compared to the same period last year and a similar rise in temporary accommodation placements.

In a homelessness update this week, Thurrock attributes this to a combination of factors, including higher rental costs, lower Local Housing Allowance rates, inflationary pressures on household budgets – and fewer landlords with homes to rent.

‘The number of landlords leaving the market’

Christopher Wade, the council’s head of housing solutions, said: “The council’s ability to mitigate against increases in temporary accommodation, and to discharge appropriately into the private rented sector is significantly impacted by the number of landlords leaving the market.”

He also warns that the Government’s aim of moving asylum seekers from hotels is also adding to the demand for social housing.

Mr Wade adds: “The council is looking at alternative methods of procurement for discharge properties, in particular in the private rental market, in order to diversify our offer to landlords, and recently signed up to Rentsurance, a rent insurance scheme which can cover non-payment of rent up to £2,500 per month for an annual premium of between £350 and £470 per annum.

“This is being offered to landlords as an incentive in place of the financial one, or else in tandem with a reduced financial offer to maximise impact.”

London councils utilising the town’s private rented stock

Thurrock is also seeing, the report highlights, a growing trend of London councils utilising the town’s private rented stock to house people on their social housing waiting lists.

The council is now looking at a housing budget overspend of £468,000 to deal with its growing demand issues.

Councillors will also be told that there is a high turnover of experienced housing officers from Thurrock being attracted to higher salaries with nearby London authorities.


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Comments

Nav K

12:59 PM, 13th February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Fed Up Landlord at 13/02/2024 - 10:00
Once Labour comes to power, expect more landlords to leave. Then we will have corporate landlords who will evict tenants every other month with no rights for tenants. Small landlords are seen as evil, real villain will enter the game soon.

Paul

13:50 PM, 13th February 2024, About 3 months ago

Route cause.
Any business or individual who recognises that they have a problem usual all tackle it in the same basic way. 1) Whats the problem? 2) what is causing the problem/s? 3) What would solve / reduce/ help?
1) Not enough houses. 2) Not enough houses
3) Build more houses.
Over simplified I know. So the alternative must be, How can we make the most of what we already have? Make it as hard as possible for those already helping the situation would NOT be on anyones list

Tom McGrath

13:55 PM, 13th February 2024, About 3 months ago

If any one person is responsible for the current landlord flight, it's Gideon Osborne. He decided that small landlords were snapping up properties and depriving young people of a place to start a family. So he introduced the Section 24 legislation which removed tax relief for mortgage payments. Add the change in EPC rules, soaring repair bills, licensing, the removal of Section 21, and most of all, rocketing interest rates, and Osborne's objective has been achieved: landlords are being driven from the market.
What I'd like to see in the budget is tax relief restored for people who rent to people on benefits.
More longterm, I'd like to see a National Housing Service, a mass building programme building multi-storey homes close to existing town centres, so that the community is already in place.

Paul

14:01 PM, 13th February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to Tom McGrath.
If any one person is responsible for the current landlord flight, it's Gideon Osborne. He decided that small landlords were snapping up properties and depriving young people of a place to start a family.
I get it, He kind of had a good point at that time. However, the world has changed. What started off as a good intention is now causing well recorded problems. Any idiot knows if somethings not working, it needs fixing. Some U turns are a good thing .

Jimmy Smith

15:40 PM, 13th February 2024, About 3 months ago

Bl##dy obvious what the problem is still gove and Raynor got somewhere nice to live

Cider Drinker

18:14 PM, 13th February 2024, About 3 months ago

Too many people, too few houses.

We need to reduce the population and/or increase the number of homes.

I know people on benefits who are boyfriend/girlfriend that have a house each - largely paid for by LHA. Neither will give up their homes. Why would they?

Tina Coates

12:29 PM, 14th February 2024, About 3 months ago

After Thurrock Council mismanaging their own funds in such an inappropriate manner they need all the help they can get. You couldn’t make this stuff up.

Reluctant Landlord

16:30 PM, 14th February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 13/02/2024 - 18:14
report them.

BobbyBisto

20:36 PM, 14th February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 13/02/2024 - 10:35
Well the doctors and nurses can use the unoccupied beds in the hospitals Oh yeah, there aren't any!!

John Grefe

9:56 AM, 17th February 2024, About 3 months ago

Reply to the comment left by David100 at 13/02/2024 - 10:30
David 100 They don't have the money.! This what we as landlords provide, housing!

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