1 Is there an understanding within the local authority of the local housing market? For example;
- Have Housing Benefit and Housing departments contacted key landlords and lettings agents and drawn up a profile of the local low rent market?
2 Is there a corporate commitment to increasing access to the private rented sector within your local authority? For example;
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Do Housing, Benefits and Finance work together to ensure that rent deposits and rent in advance are available at the front line to help the low waged or unwaged gain accommodation in the private rented sector?
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Do Housing, Benefits and Finance services work to ensure that the resources are available to front line staff for people threatened with homelessness?
3. Have you developed an effective approach to Housing Benefit to support increased access to the private rented sector in your authority?
- Do Benefits and Housing collaborate to identify landlords and agents in order to maximise access to housing?
- Have Benefits and Housing resolved ways of assuring prompt benefits settlements and payment?
4. Have you developed an effective approach to minimise exclusions from the PRS
5. Is there effective partnership working with other statutory and voluntary sector agencies around access to, and support in, the private rented sector? For example;
Are the following involved?
- Supporting People Teams
- Advice agencies
- Registered social landlords
- Agencies working with young people (16-25)
6. Is appropriate training available for relevant staff and landlords? For example;
- Is there joint training for Housing and Benefits front line staff
- Do Benefits and Housing provide training for landlords
7. Have you got a process for effective dialogue with landlords and lettings agents? For example;
8. Do you and your partner agencies offer a comprehensive range of landlord and tenant incentives tailored to the local rented housing market? For example;
- Are there incentives for both landlords/agents and tenants within an accreditation or preferred landlord scheme?
9. Is there a single point of contact within your authority for landlords and lettings agents? For example;
- Do Benefits provide a dedicated phone line or email address for landlords and agents?
- Does Housing provide key landlords and lettings agents with a named officer to intervene to help prevent exclusions?
10. Is there effective access to housing related support where required?
- Can tenants in the private rented sector access floating support?