Angus eyeing Perth and Kinross over rent deposit pilot scheme

HOUSING: Council officials hope to set up loan option to help out residents

Housing officials in Angus are to lean on the experience of neighbouring Perth and Kinross in the hope of setting up a deposit loan scheme to help residents get their foot in the door of the private rental market.

As part of a rapid rehousing strategy which aims to cut homelessness and keep a roof over people’s heads, Angus Council is investigating bringing in a similar set-up to the rent bond guarantee which has helped more than 1,500 Perth and Kinross households in the past decade.

All of Scotland’s 32 local authorities submitted their draft rapid rehousing transition plan to the Scottish Government at the end of last year.

Angus Council learned in July it is to receive almost £175,000 of Scottish Government cash to support the implementation of the five-year rapid rehousing transition plan.

The sum has left the authority with a

“If people are struggling they don’t even look at it (the private sector) because they don’t have a deposit.

COUNCILLOR LYNNE DEVINE

shortfall of just over £70,000 to meet its first year priority objectives and housing service manager John Morrow said options are being examined.

Key areas in the plan include a focus on prevention to stop homelessness happening in the first place, ensuring households get through the homeless system more quickly and increasing the supply of affordable houses.

Protocols for the housing of prisoners and patients being discharged from hospital, as well as the development of a grant scheme for the owners of empty private sector homes to bring them back into circulation are also on the early priorities list.

Communities committee councillors also heard the development of a rent deposit scheme pilot is in the pipeline.

Forfar SNP councillor Lynne Devine said: “It is really important to consider a deposit loan scheme.

“If people are struggling they don’t even look at it (the private sector) because they don’t have a deposit.

“I wonder how it can be done and do we have a comparison with other local authorities?”.

An official told Ms Devine: “We’re looking at the risk of money associated and how we can do it where money is held on deposit and recovered at the end. Perth and Kinross is the one we are looking at.”