Posted 01.08.13
A new £1.9 million fund has been announced, that will target help to end bed and breakfast living for hundreds of homeless families.
The message from Communities Minister Don Foster was that the money must be used by councils to reduce the number of families unlawfully stuck in this unsuitable accommodation in their area.
He also called on councils to put new measures in place to ensure that this situation does not happen again.
The law is clear that families must only be placed in bed and breakfast accommodation as a last resort, and only then for no more than 6 weeks. But recent figures have shown a huge variation in the way councils help homeless people in their area, with only 15 councils accounting for nearly 80% of all families living in bed and breakfast accommodation for more than 6 weeks.
This £1.9 million funding will go to 7 of these councils, to help them raise their game and discover innovative new ways to help meet the housing needs of these most vulnerable of families.
All lessons learned from these councils will be shared across the country, ensuring that every area can find the best way to provide stable, suitable homes for local residents as soon as possible.
The councils receiving funding include:
The other councils receiving funding are:
Half of the £1.9 million funding will be provided 'up front', with the remainder to be received upon success.
Posted 05.08.13
Ashford Borough Council's social lettings agency - ABC Lettings and Property Management - has been awarded the excellence in customer service award at the 2013 Kent Housing Group innovation fund and excellence awards.
The service has been designed by the Council to help landlords offer properties for rent to households the Council has identified as being on local housing allowance rent levels.
Following the 2011 Localism Act, the Council is able to discharge its homelessness duty into the private sector.
The private rented housing sector is often out of reach to homeless people who cannot afford to pay rent in advance, agency fees, or a high deposit. The Council can help through its deposit bond scheme, or through the social lettings agency.
In June 2012, the Council's Cabinet members agreed to proceed with the creation of ABC Lettings and Property Management. This has been devised in anticipation of a further reduction in funding from central government and the potential knock-on effects of the economic climate of recent times.
The scheme provides a full tenancy management service for landlords and helps to mitigate against the increased risk of homelessness and the risk of increased rent arrears for landlords.
The Council conducts all relevant checks on the prospective tenants and then brokers a tenancy agreement between the homeless applicant and landlord.
The landlord also has the guarantee that rent will be paid for the duration of the tenancy plus the reassurance that the Council will take responsibility for any tenancy management problems that arise.
For further information, contact Mark Botting on 01233 330378 or Vicki Henham 01233 330869.
