Hambleton District deposit help from bond scheme

The Hambleton District has created a scheme to Prevent Homelessness in the area. One part of this is a bond which can be used to help a prospective tenant pay the deposit on housing in the private sector. The guarantee is used by the council and the landlord as a form of payment, thereby allowing the individual to not to have to come up with the cash.

Over the last couple of years, almost 100 residents have been assisted by the scheme. The local authorities have also provided as much as £60,000 towards this programme. All of the funds are used to pay a deposit as well as pay the salaries of the specialists that administer the financial aid.

In some cases, a resident is now homeless and needs short term, emergency accommodations. The Hambleton Housing Options Service will try to place the individual into a shelter, however this depends on personal circumstances as well as if there is space available in the borough. The government is not required by law to help place people into a shelter, but they will try their best.

Deposit help from Homeless Prevention in Hambleton District

The local authorities provide support to both tenants in rent arrears as well as those that are sleeping rough or on the streets. If someone needs rent help, then the authorities will signpost the resident to a discretionary housing payment. The bonds referenced below are only for deposit costs.

The council will also use some of the funds available to support other charity agencies in the community. There are multiple organisations that are involved in homeless prevention activities. The staff from the centres partner together with each other as well as the Housing Options Advisors from the council on providing assistance.

The Hambleton rent deposit and bond schemes will only help pay for private sector rented accommodations for people that are local to the district. The landlord needs to also participate, as they need to agree to accepting the bond as a form of payment.

When applying for help, an interview will take place. The Housing Advisors will conduct a full assessment of the applicant. They will determine if the Hambleton family is currently homeless or threatened by an eviction. Other assessments will determine if a person is in priority need, if they are intentionally homeless, and what their income is.

The team that are part of the Homeless Prevention Fund will not only determine if the bond guarantee can be used by the applicant to pay the deposit, but they also provide other services as well. This is done in an effort to ensure that a history of evictions and homelessness does not occur.

The bond will last throughout the length of the tenancy agreement, as long as it is less than 12 months. The housing advisor from the Hambleton District will work with both the landlord and tenant to ensure that at the end of the agreement, that no additional costs are involved.

During the agreement that is in place, the tenant needs to meet all of the terms of the tenancy agreement. This means that they can’t fall behind on their rent. They also can’t damage the flat (beyond normal wear and tear) and move all of their possessions out of the home at the expiration of the agreement. If there are any challenges that come up, then the family will need to reimburse the Hambleton District council and/or the landlord for the costs involved to repair the property.

For more information, the Hambleton District Housing Options team can be called at 01609 779977. The post is Civic Centre, Stones Cross, Northallerton, DL6 2UU.