COUNCIL officials in Bridgend have agreed to sign up to a new property rental leasing scheme to try and get more affordable homes in the area.
Bridgend Council’s Cabinet has agreed to changes on how the council works with private landlords, by using privately rented properties to provide temporary accommodation for the homeless.
It will replace the current scheme run by Hafod Housing Association as part of their long standing Cartrefi Hafod service, which uses privately rented properties to provide homeless people with temporary accommodation.
The move comes after Hafod Housing notified the local authority that they would be withdrawing from their current contract and a number of others across Wales by the end of 2023 due to financial pressures.
It means the council will now join the Welsh Government private rent sector leasing scheme, known as Leasing Scheme Wales, making sure that offers of an alternative leasing scheme can still be made in the area.
Joining the Leasing Scheme Wales will mean that Bridgend Council can offer private landlords guaranteed rent for the length of lease along with grants of up to £25,000 and management of properties, including property inspections, repairs, and maintenance. It is hoped that a target of 88 properties in Bridgend could be available under the scheme by 2026-27.
The report read: “With regards to the current properties owned by private landlords, it is proposed that BCBC joins the Welsh Government private rent sector leasing scheme, known as Leasing Scheme Wales, so that an offer of an alternative leasing scheme can be made.
“Joining the scheme will not only enable an offer to landlords’ part of the current Cartrefi Hafod scheme, thereby retaining as many of the current properties as possible, but will also ensure a continued private sector leasing scheme offer is available to bring properties from this sector into use for households who are in housing need.”
Cllr Rhys Goode who is the member for housing, planning and regeneration added: “I think this is a really important option that we have within housing to help reduce homelessness.
“It is quite limited but I think bringing this report does mean we will have more direct control of this which I think is positive- and I would say to any landlords out there, this is an option for you particularly if you have long term empty properties, there is funding available through this route and then guaranteed rent from it.”
