Milton Keynes Council is guaranteeing private landlords rents if they are prepared to house families from B&B's who have extended their stay over the legal term.

At present within Milton Keynes there are fifteen families staying in bed and breakfast over the legal six week limit.

Homes in Partnerships, the new council scheme that has just been launched, believes that by offering the private landlords the rent guarantees, then this will provide a solution to the problem and landlords have stated that they have always been open to this type of arrangement.

Milton Keynes Landlords Association chairman Alex Caravello said: "We have been saying if these boxes were ticked we would be prepared to accept tenants."

The BBC in September 2013 found that the number of families within the council's boundaries who were living in" illegal accommodation" had doubled since March of that year.

There were sixty families which cost the council £1.6 million during 2013 to 2014 for B&B temporary accommodation.

Initially private landlords were against housing council tenants feeling that they would not be able to pay the rent and even cause damage.

The council is now also promising to pay for any "wilful damage" caused by the tenants for up to a year, besides the rent guarantee. They will also supply the landlords with details of those tenants they are hoping to place and a right of refusal.

Cathy Caves, the council's head of housing Cathy Caves said: "Other councils are already doing this, Milton Keynes Council is doing it because we need to increase the supply of housing available to those households presenting as homeless.

"This is a way of encouraging private landlords to let to people in the highest housing need, by removing the risks that might otherwise stop them."

The Conservative councillor Edith Bald estimates the agreements with private landlords will save Milton Keynes Council £506,000 over the forthcoming year. It will cost the council to house 50 families in B&B's £690,000, however if they can be housed under the Homes in Partnership scheme, then the cost of 50 private rented homes will be £84,000. They have promised to set up a further pot of £95,000 to cover the cost of any wilful damage to properties.

Edith Bald said "We are building more homes and have a viable policy for affordable homes now, but the pipeline for new homes is around three years".