Are You a Private Landlord or Unoccupied Property Owner? You Can Now Get Guaranteed Rent From Council

Peterborough City Council is now providing unoccupied property owners and private landlords with the opportunity to get hassle-free, guaranteed rent.

The option is being offered for private properties to be leased to the authority for five years. The council will then be held responsible for the monitoring and maintenance of the property. In addition, they will also be actively seeking to move tenants in from its housing register.

The new scheme will be beneficial for landlords and unoccupied property owners, whilst assisting the council with its long-term objective to reduce the number of unoccupied properties in the city area. Most importantly, this scheme will enable those who are of highest priority to be moved into accommodation.

Significant progress has been made to ensure that unoccupied properties regain their purpose.  Of the 574 privately-owned properties that have been unoccupied, exceeding the six-month mark, 31% regained their use. This is approximately 179 unoccupied properties.

Councillor Peter Hiller, Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, has commented: “Empty homes are a national problem and locally we are making great progress. I am proud of the work we have already done, but we are always looking to do more.

“This latest initiative will provide landlords with a guaranteed rental income for the lease period and a professional property management service. So, in short, we take care of several of the hassles associated with being a landlord.

“There are several reasons why homes become empty and stay that way. What is certain is that they can become eyesores, are susceptible to vandalism, and if brought back into use can provide additional temporary homes for households in need. This is why we are fully committed to tackling the issues associated with long-term empty homes.”