The team at East Hants District Council (EHDC) are looking for landlords to provide accommodation. The support they provide is much more extensive than larger local authorities appear willing to provide - including protection against rent arrears for the whole duration of the tenancy, rather than just the 1st 6 or 12 months as is the case in Portsmouth.

East Hants is an odd shaped patch from Liss across to Bordon and extending up in the direction of Guildford. As such, much of the area is on the Guildford LHA rate which is about 30% more than Portsmouth so will be appealing to landlords looking to invest in new developments in Liss, for example, where 2 bed properties are most needed according to EHDC.

The offer should also be appealing to landlords with existing property available within the PDPLA area as the EHDC can place potential tenants up to 30 miles away

The team at EHDC said, "EHDC"s housing team are keen to work with private landlords in the area, to enlist them to work with us and take advantage of our Tenancy Bond Scheme.

The Tenancy Bond Scheme is a written agreement between us, the landlord and the applicant, which guarantees, at the end of a tenancy, that the council will be financially responsible for any losses through rent arrears, or costs of damage to the property, caused by the applicant during the tenancy. It is an alternative to the tenant deposit scheme, a legal obligation for all landlords.

The team is already working with 132 local landlords and 74 estate agents in the district to give access to private rented accommodation to nearly 400 households. This has saved the council thousands of pounds by avoiding placing people in emergency bed & breakfast accommodation, an expensive and short-term solution.

Other services provided by the team includes a no-fee tenant finding service and contact and support for landlords.

To help encourage landlords to sign-up, the team has created a 'Landlord Hub" which provides easy-to-find information about renting property and tenancy. The hub is a part of easthants.gov.uk, it allows us to share our extensive knowledge of the rules, regulations and pitfalls associated with the private rental market and also promotes the benefits of the scheme.

If you would like to know more about the work we are doing please contact Lyndy or Amelia."