Housing Solicitors

Cornish housing charity Chy Lowen has said it has been “inundated” with private sector rental tenants seeking help with credit checks and rental deposits.

The charity is run by Chapter One and referrals have doubled – Chy Lowen acts as an intermediary between private sector tenants and their landlords, with tenants paying rent to Chy Lowen, which in turn pays the landlord.

The scheme is designed to make sure private rental tenants do not fall into rent arrears with landlords and end up being evicted.

The St Austell-based charity is now receiving 30-40 referrals every week and Chy Lowen spokeswoman Debbie Applegate told BBC News the increase may be a result of recent changes in benefit entitlement as well as the ongoing economic climate.
“There are a lot of good tenants out there who can't find housing in the private sector," said Ms Applegate.

“Often with the private sector there are huge barriers such as big deposits, rent in advance and credit checks.
“All these things prevent them from going down the estate agent route – however, they do make very good tenants,” she added.

Research for the housing charity Shelter has also found that more families with dependent children in the southwest of England are renting accommodation rather than buying their own home, placing a strain on private sector housing stock.

The research found some tenants were living in poor quality housing not maintained by landlords – and some tenants even paid for repairs themselves rather than confront their landlord over repairs and potentially face being asked to leave the property as a result.

The Chy Lowen Private Sector Leasing scheme was set up in 2009 – the year after the banking crisis and the start of the credit crunch. The charity now has 160 properties available to rent in the private sector and claims it has provided “sustainable” homes for around 200 single people and families since it launched the scheme. The number of people waiting fro private sector rental hoes has double in the last year, however - adding to Cornwall’s existing housing waiting list comprising 28,000 people looking for a home to rent in Cornwall.

Cornwall has recently launched new initiatives to help homeless people living in the region, including new night shelters run by volunteers in Newquay and Camborne. The homeless charity St Petroc’s is behind the new shelters and the charity will also act as the referral agency for homeless clients seeking a place in a shelter.

In November, St Petroc’s Society received an £149,000 funding boost from the government as part of the national No Second Night Out initiative to help prevent homeless people becoming rough sleepers. St Petroc’s said around 50 homeless people have to sleep rough every night in Cornwall and some are not aware of help available to them.

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is one of the UK’s leading housing solicitors and also a leading Legal Aid firm.

Duncan Lewis can offer advice on a range of housing issues, including:

• Debt
• Housing benefit
• Illegal eviction
• Mortgage repossession
• Possession for landlords
• Disrepair of rental property
• Landlord & Tenant issues.

For expert legal advice on housing matters, contact Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 020 7923 4020.