Bringing Staff and Service Users On Board

The private rented sector can be appropriate for homeless people in a range of situations, from people who have just become homeless, to those looking to move on from supported accommodation. However it isn't the right solution for everyone. This will depend on individual needs and financial situation, the availability of social and private accommodation locally, and  availability of support and advice available to them.

As social housing has become increasingly scarce, the private rented sector offers the only realistic opportunity for many people to move out of supported housing when they need to. Timely move-on is important both for individual residents as part of their progress towards independence, and to ensure that hostel places become available for those who most need them.

However staff and clients may be concerned or resistant towards the private rented sector. Inadequate information or a lack of experience of private lettings may lead to fears that service-users will fail to cope or be ill-treated by landlords. Staff may not feel confident in their ability to support clients through the process. These concerns can be addressed by ensuring that both staff and residents are empowered with proper information about the private rented sector, in order to make an informed choice.

Approaching concerns that staff and service users may have about the private rented sector

• Staff and service users need to feel that they can raise any concerns and that these will be taken seriously and addressed. On the other hand, don't assume that the response will be negative.
• Clear and transparent information needs to be provided about the availability of social housing locally and the relevant allocations procedure, so that residents can be clear about their choices. Service users to whom a statutory housing duty is owed (having been accepted by their local authority as being in priority need) will also need to be clearly informed about whether accessing the private rented sector will affect any previous rights they may have had to social housing. This may vary from area to area.
• Staff need to be confident that they can access the right information to support their clients in accessing the private rented sector. However staff may also need to be supported to acknowledge their lack of experience in this area, and to direct service users to more specialist advice.
• Residents need clear information about how the private rented sector works and to be supported to develop their skills.
• Peer support or testimony from people who have moved from hostel accommodation into the private rented sector can be an excellent way of dispelling myths and demonstrating the benefits to current hostel residents and staff. Our case study on OSW offers an example of this approach.
• The LHF developed a website with resources on the private rented sector, the site is now managed by Crisis. This includes a 13 minute video for staff and service users, and Your Passport to Renting a Private Home a downloadable guide developed with Off the Streets and Into Work (OSW) for service users. These resources can be made available to service users and staff.
• Some clients may benefit from support to maintain a private rented tenancy. Floating support services provided by Supporting People may be able to work with private sector tenants. Additionally pre-tenancy programmes, such as Broadway’s It’s Your Move may help clients prepare for move-on.

Benefits and Disadvantages of the private rented sector for homeless people

The private rented sector is more suitable for some homeless people than others. This list gives a brief overview of some of the potential benefits and disadvantages of the sector, which staff and service users may want to take into consideration.

Potential benefits include:

• Private rented accommodation can offer service users a greater choice of properties, including the opportunity of moving to a new local authority area.
• Through negotiating the private rented sector, service users may develop their skills and independence and many people feel that leaving social housing behind can also be leaving behind a degree of stigma.
• Service users can usually still benefit from floating support services whilst living in private accommodation.
• Service users may be able to move into the sector very quickly, rather than spending months or even years in unsuitable accomodation whilst on a waiting list.
• Although tenancies may be shorter term than in social housing, service users do have clearly defined rights and can't just be 'thrown out'. Once experienced in negotiating the sector, service users may be able to find new accommodation relatively easily.
• In many cases, private rented accommodation may be the only move-on option for service users.
• Accessing the PRS at the right time frees up a hostel space for someone who needs it, and allows service users to progress to independent living when they feel ready.

Potential disadvantages include:

• Tenancies are often much shorter term and may be less secure than in social housing (although compared with hostel accommodation they may be improved.) Landlords usually will need to give one or two months notice to end a tenancy, although the notice period is much shorter for lodgers sharing a home with their landlord.
• Private landlords may be less sympathetic towards peoples’ support needs and have less understanding of how this may impact on their behaviour. Where support is still needed it is important that external resettlement or floating support services are in place.
• In some places the market rate for private lettings may be very high and whilst local housing allowance takes market rents into account, there may be an impact on affordability particularly for service users who are in work.
• Some landlords may be unwilling to house benefit claimants.
• The common requirement for rent in advance and a deposit may represent a substantial financial obstacle.

Return to the main page on the Private Rented Sector.