A new scheme is being launched by Cornwall Council to help tenants threatened with eviction to stay in their homes.
The tenancy sustainment and rescue project will help tenants of privately-owned properties who have fallen behind with their rent and are therefore threatened with being made homeless.
A total of £700,000 of funding has been made available through the Covid Outbreak Management Fund and from government money to deal with homelessness.
The scheme will provide up to £5,000 per case to help landlords and tenants prevent homelessness.
The money will be awarded to Citizens’ Advice Cornwall and Cornwall Housing’s Prevention and Engagement team so that they can work with people who either ask for help or are referred by partner organisations.
Cornwall Council would like landlords who are thinking about serving notice to get in touch, as well as inviting tenants at risk of homelessness to make contact. Our priority is to prevent homelessness for everyone.
Citizens' Advice Cornwall will work with tenants and landlords on a case-by-case basis, looking at the reason for the arrears, and provide advice and assistance to support them in sustaining their tenancy. They will also work with landlords to maintain the tenancy for a minimum period of 12 months.
Olly Monk, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning, said: “Keeping people who are private tenants in their homes is really important, especially when we know there are substantial pressures on housing in Cornwall.
“This scheme will help to ensure that people who may otherwise become homeless will be able to stay where they are.
“This gives both the tenant and landlord a chance to reset their relationship. It gives the landlord the means to continue the tenancy and allows the tenant some much-needed respite and a chance to remain in the property and the area in which they have chosen to live.
“It’s really important that we understand the issues that landlords and tenants can sometimes find themselves faced with and try to find a working solution to sometimes relatively straightforward issues.”
Landlords and tenants can refer themselves directly into the scheme by contacting Citizens' Advice Cornwall, Cornwall Housing’s Prevention and Engagement team or its Revenue and Benefits service.
Contact should be made via tenancyhelp@citizensadvicecornwall.org.uk
Gill Pipkin, from Citizens’ Advice Cornwall, said: “This is a much-needed lifeline to help people stay in their homes. We look forward to working with tenants and landlords to maintain tenancies and avoid homelessness over the next few months.”
Story posted on December 14, 2021