A portfolio landlord has encouraged others to get involved in a project that finds homes in the private rented sector for homeless tenants.

Lynsey McAdam signed up to provide housing through Crisis two years ago and reckons it’s a no-brainer. “You can fill your properties quickly, and for free,” she explains. “It means tenants move in quickly, you don’t get big void periods, there are no agents’ fees, and you get a landlord liaison officer to support you.”

So far, McAdam has had five Crisis tenants in her four-bed HMO and nine in her six-bed HMO in Liverpool and Birkenhead, and while she admits their lives are typically “more chaotic” reckons she’s had her fair share of problems before using the scheme, with tenants squatting in one of her properties.

“We can get the liaison officer involved if there are issues with arrears or anti-social behaviour,” she tells LandlordZONE. “If that’s happened the officer has been very responsive and efficient. It’s a really good relationship.”

Potential

The homelessness charity matches potential tenants with landlords and offers a support package including direct rent payments, rent guarantee insurance, and help to sustain the tenancy for six months after moving in, with mediation and tenancy breakdown prevention. Tenants - who undergo suitability and affordability checks - get one-to-one support, including information on their rights and responsibilities.

The charity sometimes approaches McAdam, or she will contact them if she’s looking for a tenant. It will then decide who’s suitable, bring them along for a visit to the property and once they’ve signed up, Crisis pays their first month’s rent and deposit.

Guarantee

“I’ve never been averse to taking tenants on housing benefit as I’ve found that it can be more of a guarantee that you’ll get the rent as working tenants can be made redundant and get into difficulty,” she says. “If I get direct payments, I’m not worried, but if a tenant is paying rent and does get into arrears, I’ll speak to my liaison officer, and they’ll get transferred onto direct payments.”

She acknowledges that there can be poor perceptions about tenants in these circumstances but says this is unfounded. "They all seem like lovely people. I haven’t found anti-social behaviour any more of a problem with these tenants compared with those I’ve arranged myself. Other landlords should consider it.”

Crisis is looking for more landlords to get involved in the scheme, which is funded by TDS Charitable Foundation, through its regional centres in Birmingham, Oxfordshire, South Wales, Merseyside, the northeast, Scotland Brent, Croydon and across London. Find more information here.

‍