Lichfield Council need more private homes and offering Landlords up to 6 months rent in advance

Lichfield Council need more private homes and offering Landlords up to 6 months rent in advance

11:41 AM, 1st October 2021, About 3 years ago 7

Text Size

Lichfield District Council in Staffordshire are offering landlords up to six months rent in advance if they lease one or more homes to Spring housing association in a bid to help people who are sleeping rough or at risk of becoming homeless.

In addition, they are also offering a guaranteed monthly income for the term of the lease, no fees to pay or lease documentation to fill out, regular property checks, and full repairs management.

Councillor Angela Lax said: “We are on a mission to make rough sleeping in the district a thing of the past and are working to buy four local properties that Spring would manage. However, in the meantime, we need more private properties for our housing partner to lease.

“To help encourage more landlords to come forward, we are using some of the Government funding we received to tackle homelessness, to offer landlords up to six months’ rental income in advance. We hope this will boost the number of properties we have available and provide homes for some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

“On top of rental income and managing the property, Spring also provides an outreach service to the residents to make sure they get the support they need to make living in their new home a success.”

Dominic Bradley, Group CEO for Spring Housing Association, said: “As landlords, you can be sure we will lease accommodation from you, undertake all aspects of housing management and health and safety, and ensure regular visits to your properties to make sure they are well maintained.

“If you have a property and want to invest in your community, please contact us to hear more about how we can work together.”

Apparently, Private Landlords are not all bad!


Share This Article


Comments

Reluctant Landlord

11:58 AM, 1st October 2021, About 3 years ago

1. 'Guaranteed monthly income' actually means you will get LESS than the LHA as we have to find this exercise and therefore you the LL will pay for this although we are pitching it at you as this is an great opportunity for you!
2. 'Full repairs management' - really? and if the house is completely trashed?

They forget one BIG thing.... tenants CAN be bad, which is why there will always be reticence by a LL to offer a house to anyone from the council homeless list.
When will LA's get it into their thick heads its NOT all about the rent - they clearly still see us as money grabbing evil LL's whatever they suggest.
Six months in advance is nothing - it just means we are more screwed into possible mega eviction delays if anything and anyway if the tenant is homeless then direct payments can (and usually are) to be paid to the LL directly HB or UC so no incentive there.
Its more about mitigating the risk of our properties being trashed/ASB issues. If they offer a guarantee of damage/repairs that covers anything ABOVE the cost of a bond/deposit then I am sure more LL's would step forward. If there were no issues with the tenant then the LL would not need to claim anything - everyone is happy. If there were issues the LL is covered.
If the LA can't guarantee their clients, why the hell should I take such a risk?
As it is. Nope.
When the penny drops..come back and ask me again....

Paul Essex

13:13 PM, 1st October 2021, About 3 years ago

I would like answers to another couple of questions.
'Full repair management' so you are tied in to their workforce, no multiple quotes and presumably any thing requested without question as the landlord is paying? ( There is a group of flats next door and there seems to be workmen there nearly every day).

Secondly are they guaranteeing vacant possession at the end of the lease - in fact if they end section 21 I can't actually see how they can possibly offer vacant possession.

Ian Narbeth

13:58 PM, 1st October 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by DSR at 01/10/2021 - 11:58
Well said. If landlords knew that they could get tenants out in short order - maximum 8 weeks and if tenants knew that could happen, it might encourage landlords to take a risk. As things stand with the moratorium on evictions fresh in our minds, with massive court delays, with a legal minefield of rules and regulations that may blow up in a landlord's face to wade through to get a tenant out, many landlords are saying: No Thanks.

It's hard to tell from my corner of the letting market but despite the exodus of Europeans back to their home countries, we are fielding more enquiries than ever. I suspect many landlords have quietly slipped out of the market. If this is happening across the nation it means that landlords can be even choosier.

Reluctant Landlord

16:27 PM, 1st October 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 01/10/2021 - 13:58
enquiries may be coming in, but the right calibre of tenant? It's not just about supply and demand.
I have a feeling that even in my 'niche' (and I say that with tough firmly stuck in cheek) market of mainly single adults and single mums with kids all on state handouts enquiries will never end. There is no LA housing, no social provision and the only option is sofa surfing or hostels/B&B's/temp accommodation.
The reality is therefore for many LL that 'specialise' in this area, it makes really zero difference as to how many possible tenants there are out there. It would ONLY be with a change is policy/legislation that ensures swift possession that would encourage possible (and existing) LL's NOT currently housing benefit tenants to come forward. Really bad tenants out - good tenants in - a proper shift to everyone's benefit. The LA can then deal with those that have been evicted.

LaLo

18:36 PM, 1st October 2021, About 3 years ago

Don't do it! The L.As haven't a clue/don't care what goes on behind closed doors. . One tenant left a mountain of 'do' up to the ceiling in the lounge! He was on -------s.

LaLo

18:48 PM, 1st October 2021, About 3 years ago

P.S. Forgot to mention - I've already written to Michael Gove re section section21. If we all do he'll soon give in !

Reluctant Landlord

9:53 AM, 4th October 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by LaLo at 01/10/2021 - 18:48
Can you post here the letter you sent him. I think about time I wrote him one too!

Leave Comments

In order to post comments you will need to Sign In or Sign Up for a FREE Membership

or

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Landlord Tax Planning Book Now