A council in the south of England is urgently looking for private landlords with self-contained one bedroomed flats or studios to house residents in need.

Maidstone council’s Housing First scheme provides support to the landlord throughout the whole life of the tenancy as well as a £2,000 one off incentive payment. 

The council will also pay six weeks rent in advance along with a 12-month extensive insurance policy covering both landlord and tenant.

A spokesperson for the authority says:  “Finding a home to help people back into independent living is very challenging, so we urge any landlord with property that meets the criteria to come forward to help us give someone a fresh start for 2022.

“The tenancy will be fixed for 12 months and we will work with you to make sure the property is suitable and affordable for the tenant prior to any letting. We can also request that the rent is paid directly to the landlord or agent.

“Private landlords in and around the Maidstone area play an important role in helping us to resolve people’s housing needs.  We are encouraging landlords who are interested in the scheme to contact MBC to find out more about the project.”

Maidstone council will carry out an inspection of each property with landlords prior to each let to ensure safety standards have been met and will also require safety certificates EICR /GAS Safe and EPC for each property.

Council officers will match the most suitable prospective tenant to the property and support them throughout their tenancy.