According to the BBC – another BBC (Bournemouth Borough Council) is going ahead with plans to form a private sector landlord company which will rent properties to homeless people.

The council’s cabinet passed a motion to set up the landlord company and will shortly purchase properties to rent out directly, in an effort to reduce the increasing costs of putting people into B&B accommodation.

A spokesperson has just announced that the council purchase its first properties by the end of August this year. It is planning to eventually buy up to sixty properties within the next three years at a total cost of £10 million.

The cabinet is also looking at buying other private renting landlords’ properties, to increase their number of social housing units.

Robert Lawson the housing councillor, said that under council ownership the ‘homes’ would be of “good quality and well managed".

Any profits from the monies generated by the properties along with increasing values, will be channelled back into the council.

The properties will be part funded by the council plus a loan.