Deposit help in West Devon and South Hams

Individuals, or letting agents that are working with a prospective tenant, that are struggling to pay the deposit due for a flat in South Hams or West Devon can inquire into the the bond scheme provided by the council. This will provide the landlord (or their letting agent) a guarantee on the deposit that is required from the tenant and it can be used to help reduce, or eliminate, the amount of cash that the prospective tenant needs to come up with.

The assistance is for housing in the private sector, and it comes with several other eligibility criteria. They include that the applicant needs to be on a low income and also local to the borough. So the person applying to the scheme can’t be able to come up with the cash they need from any other sources. The landlord of the property also needs to enroll as they will be receiving this guarantee instead of cash from the council, so this will impact how they manage the property. If a letting agent is seeking help from this scheme, then other eligibility criteria need to be met.

The Deposit Guarantee Scheme will also focus on assisting people in priority need as well. So the homeless or residents that are threatened by it will usually be first in line when it comes to receiving help. The bond can even be used to pay the deposit on a new, more affordable home in the area if some is threatened by an eviction from their current flat.

Deposit guarantee terms in West Devon and South Hams

If eligible, a legal guarantee is given to the landlord from the council. It will only pay for up to one month of equivalent rent. So if the landlord is requesting say six weeks of the rent for the deposit, the tenant will need to come up with those additional two weeks on their own.

The guarantee will cover any future damage to the West Devon borough home that may be done by the tenant. Or it will address any rent arrears that is due when the tenant either moves out or is evicted. The council will make these payments (if they are due) from their own source of funds.

Not only will the scheme help the tenant or their letting agent find and pay for the new home, but the Housing Advisor from each of these councils will give the tenant free advice and support. The aim of this is to ensure they do not fall behind on their rent in the future. Or if the tenant feels the home needs repairs, then the advisor can help with that. Both the South Hams council as well as West Devon borough have teams in place to offer these services and more.

Or if the family needs help with another matter, that can often be arranged too. For example, in the South Hams district the Housing Advisor will continue to inspect the home throughout the tenancy agreement to confirm it is suitable to live in. However, at the end of the day, the tenant is always responsible for paying the rent each and every month and for following the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement.

When applying, a Housing Advisor will conduct an assessment of the applicant. They will look at their financial situation and current housing. If eligible, the team will enroll the person into the scheme. The South Hams District Council is located at Follaton House, Plymouth Road, Totnes TQ9 5NE. The phone number is 01803 861260. Or drop in at the West Devon Borough Council, Kilworthy Park, Drake Road, Tavistock PL19 0BZ, and the number to ring is 01822 813600.