Landlords for homelessness charity to compete with Shelter and Crisis?

Reply to the comment left by Jennifer Brudenell at 18/12/2022 - 09:12
I would be interested in hearing what "support" you will be providing to the tenants, as there are already very supportive landlords and letting agents, so how will your service differ from these, or in what way will the "support" be delivered which will make it more effective and thus also safeguard the interests of the landlords?

Reply to the comment left by Martin Thomas at 18/12/2022 - 11:35
I also noticed that the NRLA and Crisis have "teamed up" and are promoting each other.

However, from the article I read, it would appear that what Crisis is doing is simply promoting (putting a spin on) their "Housing First" policy, which is where they offer to nominate entrenched rough sleepers into private rented properties, but with them (or another organisation) providing visiting support to the tenant.

This is basically a way of offloading high risk rough sleepers, (whom the council and other organisations refuse to house), into the private rented sector.

While Crisis (or others) will provide intensive support initially, this is designed to reduce over time, on the basis that 6 - 24 months from start of the tenancy the person will be settled and no longer in need of regular support.

This can work, but it doesn't always work. The tenant's behaviours may not change (or not change enough to enable them to sustain a tenancy).

One of the core principles of Housing First is that the accommodation must be affordable, so this means that usually only the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate is paid to the landlord. The tenancy is between the landlord and the tenant (not a lease to Crisis), so if it goes wrong, Crisis don't cover the cost of damage, rent arrears, legal costs, etc, instead the landlord has to pay for all that, and deduct the cost from the deposit, or sue the tenant and try to recover via debt recovery processes.

By all means read the NRLA and Crisis articles with an open mind, but read them carefully and see what they are ACTUALLY promising, rather than simply believing the spin.

Reply to the comment left by Robert M at 19/12/2022 - 12:45
my thoughts exactly.

Unless there is money and proper guaranteed support given to LL's to accommodate for the clear risk of housing people who need specialist support then the whole idea goes straight out of the window as far as I am concerned.

There is little appetite for many to even contemplate taking on UC/HB claimants, let alone ones with added needs especially given the current climate and one where S21 is due to be killed off .

Lack of a realistic deposit, long court delays etc don't help but hinder.

If the government freed up these restrictions then a lot more LL's would stay in the sector and would house benefit tenants and ergo the Councils would only need to look after the most vulnerable - which is their job anyway!

Reply to the comment left by DSR at 19/12/2022 - 17:00
I know of a Housing Trust for Homeless near Kings Cross London ( the name escapes me at moment ) that does a similar thing. They have working arrangements with a few Landlords and have mini courses for the Homeless on how to sustain a tenancy and DWP claims etc.
The trust will step in and mediate in any problems Landlord raises, as its in their interest to keep the few participating Landlords ' on-side '
Of course, as landlords, we know that not all properties in all areas are suitable for such tenancies even if a Landlord was minded to consider, and even then, you'd be getting LHA rate, not market rent ! ( which begs questions, apart from altruism, why would you ? )

Reply to the comment left by Sue Bird at 17/12/2022 - 07:59
Re my post of several days ago. I did meet upwith my tenant tonight. He is CEO of a charity who support single parents with children, most of the children have or are suffering, through no fault of their own. Be it physical or mental damage.
He suggested the type of accommodation that would be best suited for his families is a 2 bedroom flat for a parent (usually the mother), and probably a max of 4 flats in a block. This would allow the families to start supporting themselves and encourage a parent to get some form of work.
He did say he is very happy to discuss with us.if this is something that works for you Sue, please let my know.

Robert - please could I have an email address from you so that I can invite you to the meeting I am organising? Thanks, Sue

Reply to the comment left by Sue Bird at 20/12/2022 - 15:01
I have emailed you now Sue.

Reply to the comment left by Robert M at 13/12/2022 - 11:27
Hello Robert, well done in setting up your charity, so far my efforts to do the same or work with existing homeless charities have drawn a blank. It seems that the so called 'charities' are actually businesses and not interested in anyone taking a piece of their pie.
I'm an estate agent lettings manager and been involved in property for 30 years, although I am pursuing other avenues to help home the homeless, any pointers would be welcome.
Regards, Alex.

Reply to the comment left by Alex Pawlowksi at 20/12/2022 - 18:11
I'm not sure what "pointers" you may be looking for Alex, as I don't know your situation or what you are wanting to achieve. However, my website address is on my earlier posts so if you wish to make contact with me for a general chat about possibilities to help the homeless then you can contact me.

Alternatively, Sue Bird has posted her email address on here for anyone that is interested in having a zoom meeting to explore the possibility of landlords setting up a charity.

Housing homeless and other vulnerable people is a problem for the whole of society, and should be managed by local councils, properly funded by central government.
Here in Manchester, the city council housing people effectively sponsor tenants by issuing a bond, to cover 4 months rent and any repairs, for tenancies arranged through them. If the tenant falls into arrears, the council will pay off the arrears, rather than lose the tenancy and the landlord's co-operation. if there is damage at the end of a tenancy, landlords can claim for repairs. When a vacancy occurs, the council usually have at least 15 candidates ready, so voids are few.
In my view, everyone should have a right to a home, rented or owned, and there should be a new NHS, the National Housing Service. Too many peoples' lives are distorted and blighted by the difficulty nowadays in finding and maintaining a home.