Houses desperately needed in Peterborough to help city's homeless

City landlords with three-bedroom and four-bedroom homes needed to help relieve homelessness

Landlords with three-bedroom and four-bedroom properties in Peterborough are needed to help the city council house homeless families.

The council’s private rented sector housing team works with private landlords to help families with a local connection to Peterborough access good quality private rented accommodation – at a price they can afford, by identifying ways to bridge the financial gap.

Councillor Marco Cereste, cabinet member for housing at Peterborough City Council, said: “We desperately need more three-bedroom and four-bedroom homes in the city that are affordable to homeless families.

“We already work successfully with over 40 different landlords in the city since we started the Landlord Incentive Scheme back in 2019 to give homeowners the peace of mind they need.

“By working with us you can put your property to good use to help our city’s community, by offering a home for a homeless family – while getting a steady market rent and support from the city council.”

The landlord incentive scheme is free of charge and offers:

Custom property matching service for landlord and tenant

Free property inspections

Complete background checks

Free letting service and up front tailored financial packages to ensure tenant affordability

Facilitated viewings and meetings

Practical assistance and support with any issues that may arise within the tenancy, such as rent arrears and disrepair

In cases where an applicant receives Universal Credit or Housing Benefit, the council can make arrangements for the rental element to be paid directly to you

In return, the city council is looking for the following (but welcomes all approaches from landlords and will assess each property on a case by case basis):

Self-contained properties of all types and sizes – in particular three-bedroom and four-bedroom properties

Properties in a good state of repair with a well-maintained heating system

A valid gas safety certificate from a Gas Safe registered installer

A valid electrical safety certificate from an electrician registered with a government approved body such as the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC)

A valid energy performance certificate

A 12-month fixed term assured shorthold tenancy

Landlords who would like to find out more or express interest should email [email protected]