Cornwall Council has introduced a new scheme which would enable them to lease a property from a home owner before renting it out to an individual or family.
The Private Sector Leasing (PSL) scheme is aimed at helping the local authority deal with the ‘unprecedented pressure on housing’.
The council appealed for residents with ‘a spare room, an empty property or an unused annexe’ to sign up.
The amount of rent paid to the property owner will be in line with the latest Local Housing Allowance and the council will provide a full management service during the lease period, which will be typically up to five years.
Olly Monk, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for housing and planning said: ‘We are already working closely with partners on a range of schemes to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping, increase the availability of homes for local residents, and provide more affordable homes and homes for social rent.
‘However, while these initiatives are making a real difference, we know that the impact of the “perfect storm” in the local housing market means that all types of people, including working families, couples and singles, are still struggling to find somewhere to live.’
