A new partnership being launched today will explore and develop ideas for how the private rented sector can contribute to ending homelessness.
That will be the focus of a three-year project between the homelessness charity, Crisis, and TDS Group, the tenancy deposit and dispute resolution service provider.
It comes amidst an ongoing homelessness crisis as official figures show that across England:
Between January and March this year 86,520 households approached their local council for homelessness assistance and were deemed eligible for support, the highest since 2018 when the Homelessness Reduction Act was introduced.
Some 117,450 households were in temporary accommodation as of 31st March, up 12% from the same time last year. Of these, 17,750 were living in bed and breakfast accommodation, an increase of 30% year-on-year.
Amidst a shortage of homes for social rent, the 2011 Localism Act gave councils the power to discharge their housing duty to homeless applicants by offering private rented accommodation. However, according to last year’s annual homelessness monitor, published by Crisis, 97% of councils said that it had become more difficult to source private rentals for households experiencing or at risk of homelessness over the previous year.
Recent research by the TDS Charitable Foundation, a charity funded by TDS Group which works to advance education about housing rights and obligations in the private rented sector, suggests that almost half – 46% – of private landlords feel unable to provide homes to tenants housed via a local authority.
The partnership will include:
· TDS Group funding to support specialist staff at six Crisis Skylight centres across the country to work with landlords and those facing homelessness to improve access to rental housing and sustain tenancies.
· Helping people experiencing homelessness with the costs of setting up a home in the private rented sector. This will include TDS providing money to help with deposits, fund new furniture and to help with the cost of travel to view properties.
· Undertaking research and developing evidence to inform policy makers on the best way to support those who are, or are at risk of homelessness, to access the private rented sector.
Dr Jennifer Harris, head of policy and research at TDS Group said: “The government has rightly committed to developing a cross-government strategy to end homelessness for good. For all the challenges it faces, the private rented sector can play an important and positive role in helping to achieve this mission.
“Working with Crisis, landlords and those who face homelessness we will build the evidence needed to demonstrate how best to improve access to stable, secure and decent rented housing for those most in need.”
Francesca Albanese, executive director of policy and social change at Crisis, added: “High deposits and up-front rent payments, mean the private rented sector is almost inaccessible for people facing homelessness. Plus, unaffordable rents, a lack of social housing and high living costs are making it increasingly challenging for many low-income households to find and keep a stable home.
“Securing new ways to access private rental properties for our members is invaluable and why we’re so pleased to be partnering with the TDS Group to begin this unique initiative. We look forward to working with them to open more doors into secure rental properties and ultimately, helping more people out of homelessness for good.”
So you continually batter Landlords and we know so many more disincentive’s are on the way and now they have a homeless problem surely it should the likes of Helen Baker of Shelter to explain.
Shelters income of 73m for supplying a fancy website , helpline that just asks if the landlord served the correct note-then sorry “we don’t house anyone but you could go to citizens advice” as one of my departing tenants was told.
So the balance is spent on executive salaries or lobbying the government to make lives harder for tenants.
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I am struggling to understand why the Charities instead of bleating on about how it is all the landlords faults don’t try providing some low cost housing themselves. Then they might understand some of the issues landlords face. Private landlords are not charities nor do they pretend to be. If my costs go up so do my rents. At the point it is costing me money and I am no longer earning from my investment what is the point of me having a property to rent out? The more you hit my margins, the more painful you make it to rent out a property, the less attractive it becomes. Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting the properties should be substandard or anything but I am entitled to market value. It the market value gets too low , I’m off to invest my money in something with better returns………………….. And the sooner government and charities get this the better for all concerned
Lots of hot air and blaming someone else but no action
Right now, this homelessness crisis is one of their own making. Years and years of no investment in social housing and expecting the private sector to fill the gap. Now all of a sudden landlords are all evil, bad guys, out to make money who must be stopped at all costs, including the consequences of them exiting the market. If these tenants can’t afford a deposit and to make regular rent repayments they are not exactly in the market to buy are they? So now what, no social housing and not enough properties to rent, market pressure driving rents ever upwards………..
As a way to fix homelessness am I the only one struggling with the maths?
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Spot on! The landlord bashing campaign swings between full time rental properties and second home owners or holiday let owners. Given the present housing crisis Gov. should be giving landlords incentives and not penalising them. We have no shortage of homes to buy, the UK is like a building site with so many new build rabbit hutches. The shortage is for homes to rent as not everyone qualifies for a mortgage.
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The government always protects the banks (fiscal responsibility) so can turn to them to solve the housing crisis. Instead of section 106 obligations for developers to build Affordable Housing of a few percent, make the Banking License contingent on taking high risk speculation funds into building social housing and asylum seeker accommodation that Local Authorities can’t finance.
So gambling becomes a social project: will housing benefit tenants pay the rent, and can banks save Home Office costs.
As the National Lottery has transformed good causes, so will the National Housing project (Mortgage License)
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The majority of homeless have problems paying rent. Indeed, in most cases, rent arrears are tte cause of homelessness. Why don’t councils just guarantee the rent? Problem solved.
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