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Matching Service - council will pair tenants with landlords

A council in the Lake District is inviting new and existing private landlords to register with Property Links, its free matching service for letting properties.

The scheme is completely free, with no finder’s fee or commission to pay. 

A statement from the council says benefits for landlords include income assessments for potential tenants, a Housing Health and Safety Rating assessment, full photographic inventory at the start and end of a tenancy with inspections, as well as what it calls “administrative support for landlords and tenants for drawing up of tenancy agreements, or housing benefit claims, amongst other things.”

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Eden district council’s private rented accommodation officer, Richard Liddle, says: "If you're a landlord and you're tired of paying letting fees then this tailor-made service matching tenants with landlords could be just what you’re looking for.

"Our vision is to match people facing homelessness with private landlords looking for long-term tenants. Unlike many letting schemes, we don’t believe in a one size fits all approach. We tailor our support for each tenant, based upon their needs, throughout the whole of the tenancy."

After an inspection to ensure the property is in reasonable condition and that all safety and security standards are met, the landlord is registered with the service and assigned a dedicated ‘support officer.’ 

That person will then seek to match a tenant with property - although there is no obligation on the landlord to take the recommended tenant.

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  • George Dawes

    No Thx , I'll stick with professionals not bungling public sector amateurs

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    Never never trust anyone in the public sector, least of all a council employee.

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    Why would any LL want to take on a tenant 'facing homelessness'? Polite speech for 'in rent arrears!'

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    rubbish, often they are in work, low ish pay & have already had to move many times in a number of years , you make sweeping statements, then again so do I most landlords are awful their you go

     
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    Actually I think there is a win-win here. I would be open to councils leasing my property at LHA rate if they took on maintenance beyond fair wear and tare and guaranteed the rent by paying direct on day one with an additional responsibility to take on any tenant issues such as ASB or any other reason which might make them borderline homeless. . For me that would mean no agent fee and no voids. For the council that would be significant savings over having to pay out to bed and breakfast or even to charities (who offer the same terms I propose here but many take a big chunk of cash to put in poorly trained staff and not adequately support the tenants but have bloated management - the savings could provide for nationally accredited and trained workers to work with tenants properly). If proper accountability can be devised then this is a problem that can be solved. Maybe I am too much of an optimist but quietly chipping a way at councils and offering solutions to them may get their different departments to work together. One day all the headline grabbing we see now will be seen for what it is but we are a way off from that yet. One we get past celebrity culture and value substance culture then the whole of society has a chance.

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    It actually used to be like this in the eighties. Councils would lease the property for 5 years! Responsible for all repairs and the landlord was guaranteed rent payment. They had to do this before BTL and AST came along then they thought nah push the risk on to us

     
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    I think what you are suggesting is council housing, of which 40% plus are now in private landlords hands

     
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    David

    Council houses were sold to sitting Council tenants at huge discounts and many were promptly sold on at huge profits, with the tax payer subsidising the greed of such former Council tenants.

    Blame the Council or their ex tenants but don't blame anyone who paid full market prices for ex Council houses, especially those renting out to tenants that the Councils have decided not to give homes to!

    BTW, Your current and former landlords have my sympathy!

     
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    David - you seem to get the facts so spectacularly wrong. The houses were sold by the council to their tenants at massive discounts. WHY? They either continue to live in a subsidised house or they sold it to another owner occupier or to a landlord.

    WHERE did these people go on to live please tell me? I’ll help you. They went into the PRS claiming benefits in some cases. Explain this to your similar thinking friends - it’s the truth

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    no discount--omv with sitting tenant

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    In that case the Council should have sought open market bids to get best value for the tax payer, instead of selling directly to the sitting tenant without inviting other offers.

    It's widely accepted Council tenants after enjoying years of subsidised rents, were given further huge subsidies to buy their Council houses with nothing preventing them from selling on promptly making huge tax free profits at tax payer expense.

     
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    It is the truth I bought an ex-Council house about 20 years ago on open market for £204k when I received all the paper work I seen the previous owner & former Council Tenant had bought the house at a huge Discount as right to buy for £22’500. So he made a big profit at public expense.

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