Portsmouth council is the latest local authority to offer to rent properties from private landlords to let out to the homeless. 

The scheme was developed by the authority’s private sector housing team after committing to work with private landlords to ease the city’s homelessness problem.

The council says the scheme “gives private landlords peace of mind and a stress-free experience.” 

A team of authority officers take on responsibility for managing the tenancy “whilst landlords can sit back and relax with the assurance of a guaranteed income and free professional support.”

Under the terms of the lease the owner permits the authority to sub-let their property to families, couples and single people, knowing the property will be returned in the same condition at the end of the lease – apart from what the council calls “reasonable wear and tear.” 

The council says there are many benefits to landlords joining the scheme, highlights of which include zero management fees, rent paid quarterly in advance, guaranteed payments and no risk of rent arrears, out of office hours support, and minimum three year term of lease if required.

“People tell the council all the time they want homes they can afford. Building homes is part of the answer, but takes time when we need to make things better now. This scheme helps to do that by offering landlords and potential tenants greater security” says a spokesman for the local authority. 

“For tenants, it’s about offering more homes they can afford. For landlords, it’s guaranteed rent, longer-term tenancies, upfront payments and a wealth of free support as the legal position changes. There are no management fees, it’s not about profit, it’s about doing the best for our residents.”