Rising rents in the private rental sector combined with cuts to housing benefits have forced councils to incentivise private landlords to get them on board. Cash payments of up to £5000 are being offered to private landlords to accommodate homeless families.
Many councils are now advertising cash incentives, here are some that we came across:
- Westminster council in London are paying up to £4000 sums with two or more bedrooms
- Haringey are offering one off payments of £3000 for a 2-year tenancy
- Tower Hamlets is paying £2500 for one bedrooms leased to them for two years and and £4000 lump sums with two or more bedrooms
- Barnet are offering one off payments of £3000 for a 2-year tenancy
- Southward are offering one off payments of £3000 for a 2-year tenancy
A spokesman for DSS Select ‘Its very clear by the offer of cash payments, that the balance of power has switched from the council to the landlord. Even more so with the ever increasing number of people to house’.
It seems other boroughs are following suit.
- Hounslow are offering one off payments of £1000
- Basildon are offering one off payments of £1000 for a 12 month tenancy and £1500 for a 24 months tenancy
We were also informed that councils are prepared to take on properties in other boroughs. A spoke person for Brent council told us it had made payments to landlords whose properties were outside London in a bid to house people on its waiting list.
What we concluded is that incentive payments are out there. Its purpose is to convince private landlords to accommodate council tenants where the biggest payments are paid to landlords who take on council tenants on long term contracts. We have just touched on this subject, however if you are considering renting to the council especially for the longer term there are cash payments to be had.
Contact your local council for more information
DSS Select
