Luton schemes for helping with deposits and rent in advance

The homeless, low income, or families in a temporary accommodation or hostel may all be able to get help with a rent deposit. The council is providing assistance to residents that are threatened with homelessness and that are also on a low income. There is also help for the currently homeless in Luton, and they can get assistance for their deposit payment and other support from the council.

After an assessment is done by the council, they will decide on the best approach to take. Some of the housing assistance provided and options include issuing the client a grant, signposting them to other services if they are not eligible, or in some cases a loan is issued for paying the rent deposit. So there are different forms of payment that will be made by the council depending on the applicant’s income and other conditions. The aim though is to help the low income resident move into a new home or flat in the Luton Borough area.

For individuals issued funds for a rent in advance, the amount provided can be for up to 6 weeks worth of payments. In those cases money for the deposit will also be provided, and that can be an additional 2 weeks worth. In total, at most 8 weeks of equivalent rent payments will be made to the landlord, and the breakout between the expenses can change.

The council may issue a loan to the prospective tenant, and that means the money will need to be repaid and an agreement on that plan will be signed. In other cases, a grant is provided to the client. The Luton Borough Council will decide the form of payment after an assessment of the applicants financial condition is completed. Housing advisors will review the applicant’s financial condition, savings, and income in order to decide the best type of payment to use.

There are many eligibility criteria that are in place by the council. People should check this with the customer service centre at 01582 547304 before signing a tenant agreement or moving into the property. As once that is done, it is too late to apply for a loan from the council.

The funds are for homes in the private rented sector only, not social housing. The team from the council can help people find a property as well, if they need help with this. The council, like many others in the nation, will try to priortise the vulnerable that are homeless, and that can be the elderly, the disabled, and pregnant women. However all applicants will need to be over the age of 18.

To apply for the scheme, families with a local connection should call the Customer Services Centre at the Luton council office. Call as soon as possible, as it can take up to 5 days to review and approve an application. Or if an award is not made from the scheme, the tenant will need time to apply for other financial aid. The telephone is 01582 547304, and the office is at Town Hall, Luton, LU1 2BQ.