Private landlords and tenants in Cornwall are being offered up to £5,000 to help address problem rent arrears.
Cornwall Council’s new scheme – the tenancy sustainment and rescue project – has £700,000 of government funding from the Covid Outbreak Management Fund and a government fund to deal with homelessness, by targeting those most at risk of eviction.
Citizens’ Advice Cornwall and Cornwall Housing’s Prevention and Engagement team have been tasked with identifying the most deserving cases, working directly with those who ask for help or who are referred by partner organisations.
Citizens’ Advice will work with tenants and landlords on a case-by-case basis, looking at the reason for the arrears, and can provide support to sustain the tenancy for a minimum period of 12 months. They can hand out up to £5,000 per case.
Cornwall Council wants landlords who are thinking about serving notice to get in touch, says Olly Monk, portfolio holder for housing and planning.
“This gives both the tenant and landlord a chance to reset their relationship,” he explains. “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.”
Adds Monk: “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.”
Gill Pipkin, from Citizens’ Advice Cornwall, says: “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.”
To apply, landlords can contact tenancyhelp@citizensadvicecornwall.org.uk
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