Why Town Hall “Not for Profit” Letting Agencies Fail

Local authority schemes to attract private landlords to let to people with few housing options often fail. Here at LettingFocus, we explain why. I was invited to speak at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Homelessness conference in Nottingham last week. This is a big national event to which around 140 local authority and housing association staff from all around […]

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Accreditation Private Landlords and the Social Letting Agency Model

Key Point: Most private landlords don’t set high value on things like membership of accreditation schemes and property inspections offered by some councils as part of Local Letting Agency schemes designed to attract landlords. They won’t pay much for these features either – especially where a good private let alternative exists. Local authorities must be realistic about what landlords want […]

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Local Letting Agency Model and Councils. Can Local Authorities Make A Success In This Area

In this blog post we say that local authorities face big challenges trying to make a success of the “Local Letting Agency” concept – and we highlight the areas they will have to work hardest in if they are to be successful. Some groups of local authorities are setting up their own local letting agencies – a topic we have […]

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Private Rented Sector Schemes, Local Letting Agencies and Private Landlords

In the housing strategy papers of many a local authority the private rented sector can still be something of an afterthought – often tucked away on page 94 along with Dave Spart and ColemanBalls. (Private Eye Joke) This is quite curious and may reflect either the previous small size of the private rented sector or a genuine lack of understanding […]

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Research Is Needed Into Implications of Budget Changes to Housing Benefit Rates for London Boroughs

The detail of how the change to Local Housing Allowance / Housing Benefit rates will be managed in practice will be interesting and the government will need to tread very carefully and will have to carefully consider the needs of the old, the sick and the HB claimants with young families in all this or they could be facing a […]

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New Local Housing Allowance Rates How the New LHA Rates Have Huge Implications for House Prices and Rents Everywhere

Even landlords who don’t let to benefit dependent tenants and tenants who don’t get state aid to pay their rent will be affected by the capping of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates. As a result of the changes to LHA rates, there could be some potentially big changes to local house prices and rents. Lots of Heat The whole issue […]

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Social Lettings Agencies Homelessness Prevention and Role of the Private Rented Sector

As the Conservative Lib Dem coalition starts to wield the knife on what they see as wasted activity in some parts of the public sector we start to wonder how their cuts will eventually affect housing. One area that we at LettingFocus.com provide advisory help on for local cheap sildenafil tablets authorities and housing associations is in the setting up […]

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Private Rented Sector Access Scheme – Reaching Landlords is the Key. Plus A Comment on HMOs and Shared Houses

I’m extremely busy with corporate work right now. I am working with banks, insurance companies and with the public sector to help them improve their landlord facing products. For local authorities and housing associations this typically involves helping them make a better job of Local Letting Agency Models, Private Rented Sector Access Schemes, Choice Based Lettings  and Supported Access Schemes […]

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