Councils appeal to private landlords to help with housing crisis
12:01 AM, 31st January 2025, 1 year ago
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Two councils are urging private landlords to collaborate on initiatives to help find homes for homeless people and families in their areas.
Mansfield District Council has launched a scheme to partner with landlords to reduce homelessness.
The aim is to help those who are registered as homeless and currently in temporary residences – a report reveals that there has been a big jump in demand over the last three years.
The council will pay rent deposits and initial rent payments.
There’s also a partnership with RentGuarantor which, the council says, will offer landlords security to cover rent and legal expenses in case of tenant arrears.
Unwilling to let to the homeless
Mansfield’s portfolio holder for housing, Coun Anne Callaghan, said: “Private landlords are often unwilling to let to people and families who are homeless, and many people are homeless and on our waiting list because they simply cannot raise the amount needed to pay a deposit for a privately rented property.
“Many also struggle to pay the first rent in advance because of the way Universal Credit pays benefits in arrears.”
She added: “What the Private Rented Access Scheme will do is enable us to work with landlords and create successful, long-term tenancies.
“The kind of homeless people we want to help ranges from single people to families.”
Promoting direct rent payments
Mansfield says there will be three check-ins during the first six months, focusing on tenancy management and promoting direct rent payments.
Financed with a £187,681 government grant, the scheme forms part of the council’s homelessness and prevention strategy with the year-long pilot scheme starting on 1 February.
Mansfield currently has 38 households in interim accommodation waiting for permanent homes and 4,598 people are on the housing waiting list with 173 being in Band One – the highest priority.
Exeter appeals for landlord help
Meanwhile, Exeter City Council is appealing to homeowners and landlords with vacant properties or spare bedrooms to help with the city’s housing shortage.
The council’s housing access team offers guidance and assistance to reintroduce vacant homes into the market.
Exeter’s lead councillor for housing, Coun Marina Asvachin, said: “We currently have a large demand for all types of accommodation in Exeter.
“We know that many properties and bedrooms are standing vacant in the city.
“Our vision is to create sustainable tenancies that work for landlords and tenants alike.”
The council says it is offering attractive financial incentives, including upfront cash, deposits, advance rent and continuous support for both landlords and tenants.
Tags:
advance rent, Exeter City Council, homelessness, housing crisis, Mansfield District Council, Private Rented Sector, Rental Deposits, social housing, spare rooms, temporary accommodation, UK Landlords, vacant properties
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Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 754
12:26 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
It’s the Councils’ statutory duty to house the homeless and give long term tenancies, not that of the PRS. However the pending RRB with its eviction restrictions etc is trying to turn us into equivalent long term providers by the back door. Combine this with the significant difficulties getting paid through Universal Credit, it’s little wonder that LLs don’t want to engage.
It’s tough for genuinely decent tenants in financial hardship, and instead of ‘levelling the playing field’ and helping tenants, the policies are doing precisely the opposite. Beggars belief that neither central nor local government officials can work this out.
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
1:55 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Freda Blogs at 31/01/2025 – 12:26
… to work it out they’d need some intelligence and commonsense commodities that are in very short supply in our politicians.
Member Since January 2025 - Comments: 2
1:57 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
Over 10 years ago I was a landlord partnered with Mansfield District Council on one of these rehoming schemes etc. I allocated them a few properties for the scheme – all tenants were meant to be fully vetted by MDC. 75% of the tenants eventually defaulted on rent – the assistance from the council was pitiful and I eventually had to resort to the eviction process. Even though I was owed thousands of unpaid rent – MDC told the tenants to stay put at the property’s until removed by bailiffs etc. In the end I ended up about £10,000 out of pocket in rent plus substantial repair costs where the tenants had wrecked the properties. One of the tenants even took all the light bulbs when they left. Based on my experience, I advice any landlord to be wary of these types of collaborations. When it hit the fan, basically MDC hung me out to dry.
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 201
2:05 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
They want to provide council housing, at the private landlords risk and expense.
Its the oldest trick in the book, socialise the reward, privatize the risk. Marxism 101.
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2187 - Articles: 2
2:23 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Pid1 P at 31/01/2025 – 13:57
I have had five collaborative ventures with various councils, all have ended in disaster. ‘Hang out to dry’ is a very good description of council attitudes in general, avoid any Council tenants like the Covid plague.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3504 - Articles: 5
4:31 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
Council says
“Mansfield says there will be three check-ins during the first six months, focusing on tenancy management and promoting direct rent payments.”
….so the council are already know the tenant they put forward may not pay the rent….
Landlord response –
Next application please!
Member Since December 2023 - Comments: 1573
4:44 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
They should ask me.
Let me see if I can help. I won’t be long.
Nope, just checked and all my properties have tenants. If one was empty, I’d sell it.
I vowed never to help councils when they charged me full council tax as I worked to recover a property that was trashed by a benefits claimant. The property wasn’t habitable and the VOA just wasted more of my time.
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2187 - Articles: 2
5:04 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 31/01/2025 – 16:44
Exactly my experience and response. To add council tax to a void period after their non rent paying tenant has trashed the property is the ultimate insult – unless you know better!
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 201
6:11 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 31/01/2025 – 16:44
I had the council tell me I couldn’t re-let a property for 10 weeks, after tenant wrecked the place and left me 7 tons of rubbish in the garage “IN CASE” he wanted to return and reclaim any of it. Thanks a bunch.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 357
6:39 PM, 31st January 2025, About 1 year ago
Councils will shaft landlord once they are given a property.