Cashless bonds (written guarantee to the landlord)

A landlord who accepts the terms of the cashless bond scheme would receive a guarantee from the Council to cover any charges normally allowed under a standard rental contract.

This can include damages and excessive cleaning costs.

Rent guarantee insurance

To attract private landlords to offer tenancies to people in receipt of housing benefit, homeless or threatened with homelessness.

The Council will reimburse private landlords with the cost of rent guarantee insurance. The maximum period for entitlement will be set at three years.

Financial inclusion

The aim is to provide financial inclusion and financial capability within housing support services for private rental tenants.

The support will help both landlords and tenants in advising on issues affecting tenants financial situation before a tenancy reaches crisis point.

The support includes operating a bank account, budgeting and dealing with financial difficulties for tenants who are deemed to be vulnerable and the support will be offered for the first 12 months of tenancy, which could include

• advice and assistance in relation to housing matters
• two month aftercare support including health check (via telephone) to make sure that everything is set up correctly including helping the tenant to arrange utilities, for example
• property inspection and inventory check
• housing related support packages specifically tailored around the needs of the tenant and landlord including a point of contact within housing benefit to fast track housing benefit claims
• budgeting courses as a pre-tenancy agreement
• affordability check on the property with proposed tenant before they are given tenancy to check affordability of the property

One-off payments

One-off payments can be offered to private landlords willing to rent properties at the local housing allowance (LHA) rate.

There is a lack of private landlords in Anglesey willing to rent at the local housing allowance rate. This means that the majority of private rented properties become unaffordable to our service users.

To entice private landlords to rent properties at the LHA rate there is a one-off incentive of 12 weeks rent, based on LHA rate for a signed one year short hold tenancy and an additional incentive of 4 weeks rent based on the LHA rate after two years of the tenancy. 

Guaranteed rent for 3 months

Housing Benefit claims can only be backdated a month.

New Housing Benefit claims can take more than a month to become active, resulting in tenants having rent arrears that they are unable to meet from the beginning of their tenancies.

Guaranteeing the Housing Benefit entitlement of rent for 3 months would give landlords peace of mind from the beginning of the tenancies. 

Conditions of offer

For landlords to qualify for the scheme they must agree the terms and conditions listed below when letting their property. 

• rent the property out at LHA rate (or just above)
• vacant possession
• proof of ownership
• up to date electrical and gas safety certificates and energy performance certificates
• EPC certificate

For further information please contact (01248) 752200.