Temporary Restriction of New Social Tenancies – Private Landlords, Can You Help?

As a result of significant resource restrictions and the suspension of some repairs services, cleaning and furnishing services, we and our Housing Association partners have had to restrict letting of new social rented tenancies, including temporary homeless accommodation, during the coronavirus shutdown.

Due to these unprecedented and difficult circumstances, we have temporarily suspended all housing allocations with the exception of the following groups:

• Discharge from hospital where rehousing is required.  This is a top priority to  support the NHS. 
• People who are roofless or at risk of rough sleeping
• People where there is a serious risk identified whether that be a risk of violence/abuse, including all forms of domestic abuse, or other protection measures are required

We continue to focus our efforts on trying to prevent people from becoming homeless and needing accommodation and are advising people who have been sofa-surfing or staying with friends and family that they follow the government guidance and remain living where they have been, where it is safe to do so. We are also working across our housing teams and partner housing providers to identify and furnish suitable accommodation.

We are looking for help from private landlords to provide private rented tenancies to individuals in the priority groups we have identified, and to work in partnership with us to identify suitable tenants from the priority groups for any properties that are available to let.

Where furnishings are required, and this is needed urgently and cannot be met any other way, we may be able to provide furniture and goods. Our housing staff will also be able to support the household to apply for financial help (if needed) to meet the rent and housing costs.

If you have a property or properties that are available to let and are able to support us to provide housing to these priority groups, please contact the following: 

In Arbroath, Carnoustie or Monifieth – please email HouArbroathCHT@angus.gov.uk

In Brechin or Montrose – please email BrechinMontroseCHT@angus.gov.uk

In Forfar or Kirriemuir – please email ForfarCHT@angus.gov.uk

 

Your support and assistance is appreciated.

 

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Council house/garage rent update letters are out!

If you are an Angus Council tenant (including garages and garage sites), you should have received your annual rent update letter for 2020/21 by now.

If you haven’t received your  rent notification, please let us know by emailing HousingQPP@angus.gov.uk or call us on ACCESSLine 03452 777 778.

Private Sector Landlords Bulletin

The new tenancy regime for private landlords and the roll out of Universal Credit in Angus are important changes for private landlords, so we’ve included both in a update here.

Firstly, the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016, which is expected to take effect from December 2017, will introduce a new type of tenancy. This will be known as a “private residential tenancy”. It is important that tenants and landlords are aware about changes to rights and responsibilities that will be introduced at the end of this year. The main purpose of the changes is to improve security for tenants and provide better protection for landlords.

You can find more about what the introduction of the new form of tenancy might mean for you in the Scottish Government’s guide for tenants and guide for landlords

Secondly, the full rollout of Universal Credit will change the way benefit claimants claim and receive their income, and pay their housing costs.

The guidance gives details about the changes for both private and social sector landlords.

For more information see our Universal Credit website