A new survey from homeless charity Centrepoint reveals that as few as 20% of UK landlords would be willing to let out their property to someone who has previously been homeless. Centrepoint is urging the government to address the huge problems facing young people struggling to rent a property. Given that the social housing sector has all but disappeared in much of the country in the last few decades, the news that a shocking 80% of landlords would not even consider renting out properties to formerly homeless people gives huge cause for concern.
Homelessness Crisis
Centrepoint also revealed that around 20% of residents living in its hostels are ready to move out and into their own accommodation, but it’s often not possible. This leads to residents staying in hostels for several years in some cases, preventing other homeless people getting the support they need. Nearly 60,000 households in the UK are currently receiving financial aid either as a result of being homeless or at risk of coming homeless in the immediate future. Despite this, only 20% of landlords would consider letting to a young tenant in receipt of Universal Credit.
Young people are particularly vulnerable during the current housing crisis, as they are only entitled to the shared accommodation housing benefit until they reach the age of 35. This benefit has been frozen for three years and is far below the market rate for house shares in much of the UK.
How Landlords Can Help
If you are a landlord, or are thinking about becoming one, there are things you can do to help address the homelessness crisis. Once you’ve purchased your investment property using reputable conveyancing solicitors Birmingham such as https://www.samconveyancing.co.uk/Conveyancing-Solicitors/Conveyancing-Solicitors-Birmingham, think about making a couple of flats or studios available to homeless or formerly homeless young people.
The charity Crisis explains that landlords can play a vital role in helping to get young people off the streets. Crisis has a project called Help to Rent that helps single homeless people find housing. Crisis works to support not only homeless people but also the landlords who still need to rent out profitable properties.
As Crisis puts it: “We are committed to supporting landlords and tenants to make the private rented sector the successful home we know it can be.”
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