UK Bill Help

The council at the City of Chelmsford created the deposit guarantee scheme to not only provide financial help for housing but also free advice. They do stress the ongoing support to help the family maintain their tenancy agreement. Assistance may be provided by the council for private sector housing in the district.

The main service will be a bond guarantee for the deposit. In addition, there may be some instances in which a rent in advance payment is covered in the form of a cash payment, provided the amount is reasonable and the applicant meets eligibility criteria. But the City scheme also offers many other forms of support, namely the advice given to the tenant.

Benefits to the deposit scheme

There are advantages to both tenants as well as landlords. The main ones are noted below. In addition to those, the council will fast track Housing Benefits claims on any property under contract. This is part of the Chelmsford aim to keep the tenant in their property, as the housing benefits will help with future rental costs.

Prospective tenants do not need to pay any fees to apply, however they will need to go through an interview with the council’s Housing Solutions Team. The bond from the city will pay for the damage deposit that is due. In some cases, the tenant will have up to six weeks of cash given to them to pay for paying rent in advance payments. So the scheme offers them a substantial amount of financial support.

Tenants and the landlords also both can use the free advice from the City of Chelmsford. The aim is to sustain tenancy agreements over the long term, which will reduce homelessness. Landlords will gain as it is less likely for any rent arrears to accrue, so they have a stable source of income. Tenants and their families will also get the free advice as it will help stop future evictions.

When it comes to landlords of private housing in Chelmsford, the deposit guarantee scheme will help them find a tenant without needing to pay a fee or to add an additional expense for adverts. It also eliminates the use of a letting agent. The bond will protect them from any future damage that may be done to the home. The council will also give the landlord free advice on responsibilities on how to end tenancies legally if the family needs to be evicted.

The demand for deposit help is very high in the city. This is mostly due to ever increasing costs of housing. In fact, the Chelmsford Housing Solutions Team has a waiting list of potential renters. They are screened by the authorities and they just need to find a property in the city.

If a landlord and tenant can be matched through this scheme, then the council will put the parties in contact with each other for a viewing of the property. If the home is affordable and safe, and all conditions are met by both parties, then a tenancy agreement can be signed after the council approves this. The team will help throughout this process.

The customer service team, which takes applications, is based at the Civic Centre in the city of Chelmsford. The telephone number is 1245 606606.