Council approves new rental scheme to tackle homelessness

A new initiative to help tackle homelessness and improve poor housing conditions has been given the go ahead.

Private landlords will be given the chance to rent out their properties through Neath Port Talbot Council and apply for grants to update properties to make then liveable.

Members of the council’s Social Services, Housing and Community Safety Cabinet Board agreed to implement the Welsh Government’s Leasing Scheme Wales.

Under the arrangement, the council will lease properties from private sector landlords and sub-let the properties to those it has a duty to protect from homelessness.

The scheme will provide an extra intervention to tackle empty properties and poor housing conditions in the private sector that can adversely affect local communities.

A resource for homeless teams

The scheme is intended to act as a resource for council homelessness teams seeking to move households on from temporary accommodation.

A maximum of 82 properties in Neath Port Talbot will be leased by the end of March 2027 starting with four by March 2023 and funding for the scheme will continue up until 2032.

Under the scheme, councils will take on maintenance of properties with rent being paid to directly to the property owners.

A renovation incentive can also be offered to landlords to make properties liveable or improve the property’s Energy Performance Certificate rating.

The renovation incentive will be a grant of up to £5,000 and empty properties will be eligible for higher renovation incentives with a grant up to £25,000.

Incentives

Renovation incentives will only be offered to landlords who sign up to the scheme and if approved then local authorities can claim the amount of grant from the Welsh Government.

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member of Housing and Community Safety, Cllr Alun Llewelyn, said: “The scheme will help tackle homelessness by making more properties available and the aim is to improve the quality of private sector rental homes.

“It’s essential that tenants receive the support they need, and this scheme will provide that.”