5^th Mar 2017

It is commonly thought by private sector landlords that taking on social housing tenants is high risk compared with traditional rentals, plus within the PRS (Private Rented Sector) one can determine the amount of rent paid.

Milton Keynes Council is attempting to banish the long held perception regarding social housing tenancies and is hoping to encourage more private landlords to work with them.

One of the council's priorities to encourage private landlords into a working partnership is by relaunching its Enhanced Private Sector Leasing Scheme. The council will help landlords by leasing out their properties backed up by a full management service as well as finding them suitable tenants for any of their vacant 'homes'.

It is offering a number of incentives to private landlords when willing to lease their properties to the council, with the main ones being:

A guaranteed rent every month which will be 10% higher than the local housing allowance level

A full management service

Repairs and maintenance undertaken by the council

Annual gas safety checks

The landlords will not have to pay any service or administrative charges

Councillor Nigel Long said: “On January 13 we had 619 homeless households in temporary accommodation. Many of these are in properties outside of Milton Keynes. We want to bring them home to Milton Keynes, but we need local good quality landlords to work with the council

“We want good quality private landlords to work with the council so that their properties can be used to house local families with children in Milton Keynes.

“Whilst this is not a solution to the housing crisis the city faces, it is a further step in trying to keep homeless families closer to the communities they come from and closer to the schools their children go to.”


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