Private landlords to be offered cash incentives to take tenants off council waiting lists

A North London council plans to offer private landlords cash incentives of up to £3,200 to take tenants off their waiting list. Around one-hundred local landlords attended the launch event which kicked off the council’s campaign to encourage more private landlords to sign up to the scheme.

Adverts appealing for landlords have been placed on buses, bus stops, Tube stations, and in full page adverts in the local newspapers. So far over 1,200 landlords have already signed up to the scheme, but the huge difference between social housing supply and demand means that a lot more landlords are needed if demand is to be met. Barnet is the latest council to try and convince local landlords to help with the housing crisis that is affecting the entire United Kingdom. The council are offering one of the most generous schemes available in an effort to get landlords to commit to the scheme. Barnet has also revamped its lettings service, Let2Barnet, to ensure it has the capacity to deal with further business. The service removes the hassle of finding a tenant and the service is open to private landlords, agents or a homeowner who wants to rent out their property.

Barnet Homes Chief Executive, Tracey Lees, said “The appeal of our scheme for landlords is that it removes the hassle and stress of managing their tenancy. For us it’s a great way to ease the increasing pressure on Barnet’s social housing and provide homes we can offer to many more individuals and families who approach us for help.”

Incentives on offer for landlords include a full management service, offering guaranteed rent and £500 towards their landlord insurance costs. At a time of increased housing need, the council believe this is a brilliant opportunity for landlords to have a guaranteed income for the next few years when it is hoped the housing problems will have improved.