Crisis to buy homes in bid to become not-for-profit landlord

A homeless charity has partnered with a bank to begin purchasing its own properties as it aims to become a not-for-profit landlord.

Crisis plans to buy its first homes by summer 2026, with a target of acquiring at least 100 properties across London and Newcastle over the next three years.

Working alongside Lloyds Banking Group, the charity warns that without further action, the housing crisis is likely to deepen.

Offer secure and affordable homes

Matt Downie, chief executive at Crisis, said: “With the support of Lloyds Banking Group, we can now kick-start our plans to become a not-for-profit landlord in the next few months.

“What this means is that we’ll be able to start to offer some of the people we support, people experiencing the very worst forms of homelessness, genuinely affordable, secure homes so that they can rebuild their lives.”

He adds:  “While this intervention is only part of the picture, and more needs to be done by the UK government to deliver social housing at scale, with the ongoing support of Lloyds Banking Group and the passion and commitment of their staff, we can start to make this important shift and put homes firmly at the heart of the solution to end homelessness.

“We’re delighted to be renewing our successful partnership with Lloyds Banking Group. At a time when homelessness has reached unprecedented levels, partnerships like this enable us to innovate and do things differently to better meet the challenges we face.”

End homelessness with homes

Charlie Nunn, group chief executive officer at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We’re so proud to support Crisis’ landmark intervention to end homelessness with homes, by making it possible for the charity to acquire and manage housing for the very first time.

“This level of ambition and imagination is an inspiration. We need more of it, with strong collaboration, across the public, business and charity sectors. And it is in everyone’s interest to help initiatives like these to succeed.

The bank has also helped fund the launch of Crisis’s Good Place Lettings, which aims to tackle housing inequality by “bringing more social purpose to the private rental market.”

The news comes as more social homes are being sold or demolished than are being built.

Data by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reveals in England, 16,291 social homes were either sold or demolished last year, yet just 10,807 social homes were built.