Elmbridge Rentstart receives £50,000 boost

As reported by Beth Woodger, April 16, 2011 at the Surrey Advertiser
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A £50,000 GRANT has been awarded to an Elmbridge charity that helps to reduce homelessness in the borough.

Elmbridge Rentstart, which assists single people and childless couples on a low income to access accommodation in the private rented sector, has been given the cash boost by Crisis, the national charity for homeless people, to start Rentstart Plus.

The money will be used for tenant support, to secure deposits and to ensure housing benefit finds its way directly to private landlords.

Helen Watson, manager of Elmbridge Rentstart, said: "The government has given Crisis the job of distributing funds; The money has been given to organisations on the frontline - this is the first time it has ever happened.

"They are trying really to target the money to the single homeless people.

"Rentstart has been going for 10 years and it is very successful and a cost-effective way of delivering the service.

"We will be targeting people who constantly fail and work with them more intensely with ongomg support.

"We don't charge fees and we are a little bit like an agency."

Mrs Watson said in the past couple of years the recession has not only affected tenants but also landlords.

She added: "A lot of landlords have suffered in the past two years.

"Landlords with buy to let properties have really suffered with mortgages being reduced. Some of our landlords have had more financial difficulties than our tenants because of the credit crunch. It has improved a little bit this year.

"We provide a free service and take all the burden off landlords. They get it all looked after. It is a win-win solution for everybody.

"This extra mopey will go towards tenant support. "This is our lOth year of operation and up until now we have managed on a small grant from Elmbridge Borough Council, which we are very grateful for but we have had to do our own fundraising.

"So this money has really been good for us."

Private landlord Alan Day said: "The benefits of usirig Rentstart as a private landlord are numerous, firstly, the support, back-up and liaison between landlord and tenant is paramount to achieving the security a landlord would need to feel comfortable iri accepting strangers to live in and look after their properties.

"In the private sector you would never get this support from a rental company, their remit is to find a tenant, obtain references and collect the rent, for this you pay a commission of around 12%.

"With Rentstart regularly contacting the tenants offering advice and support regarding benefits and allowances any potential problem can be resolved with the minimum amount of fuss."

Mr Day recommended that private landlords should 'seriously consider' contacting Rentstart, to rent their properties with minimum risk and to assist those who need help the most.

A 45-year-old Rentstart client, who wishes to he known only as Malcolm, contacted the charity after he lost his job, his marriage broke down and he found himself homeless and with no money.

The charity helped him find a flat and he is now working again.

He said: "A really big thank you to all the team at Rentstart. You didn't just 'start', but have continued to support me from the first meeting I had, and ongoing to date."