Opening up the private rented sector for offenders

A briefing for

staff working with homeless offenders

September 2012

Aims

• Reinforce the advantages & importance of the private rented sector (PRS)

• Provide guidance on how to make it work for your offenders

• Outline the role of PRS access agencies• Highlight what you can do, and how others

can help you • Introduce new guides for helping offenders

access the PRS

Why the PRS matters• Can be a fast housing option in some areas

• Gives choice over location and property types

• Greater flexibility – not subject to same Local Authority control as social housing

• Opportunity for ‘fresh start’ away from negative peer influences

• Service charges often cheaper than hostels - important for those wanting to return to work

• Avoids the stigma sometimes associated with hostels

• Can give greater personal privacy than some hostels

• Can sometimes be better quality than social housing

• Most realistic choice in areas of high housing demand

Characteristics:

• Fastest growing section of the housing market• Owned and let by private individuals or companies• Profit is the primary driver – but landlords will

sometimes forgo income for a stable/safe letting • Can be leased by social landlords & let as a form of

social housing – called ‘private sector leasing’ (PSL)• Less security of tenure than social housing – but

landlords generally want long term tenants• Benefit only payable up to price of shared PRS

accommodation for most under 35 yrs old• PRS access agencies act as a route in for low

income households

How it compares

Potential barriers:

• Unrealistic expectations and/or negative perceptions (of offenders and staff)

• Landlords usually want one month’s rent in advance plus one months rent as deposit

• Landlords reluctant to take tenants perceived to be risky with regards to rent/charge payment or anti-social behaviour

• Offenders may lack the knowledge/skills to present themselves well to landlords

• Offender managers/supervisors may lack the time and/or knowledge to support access to PRS

PRS access agencies...• Get to know local market & what motivates landlords• Build relationships with landlords so as to create access

for low income households – in some cases managing properties for them

• Will value referrers who share relevant information so risks can be managed and landlords retained

• Address the financial barriers e.g. help with deposits; help to get benefits in place fast

• May give pre or post tenancy support to avoid tenancy breakdown

• Will have criteria specifying who they can help• Can be found at www.privaterentedsector.org.uk or via the

local housing authority

Promoting the PRS

• Highlight all the potential advantages of the PRS• Have a realistic idea of how it compares (on price, ease

of access, location, quality) with other local options – get housing options staff to brief you

• Acknowledge potential downsides and barriers to PRS... but make sure you are informed about how they can be addressed

• Very important that offenders receive consistent messages from all those advising them

• Encourage partners to reinforce these messages in their work with offenders

Building capacity: • Taking preventative action can prevent tenancy loss, poor

housing record, sense of failure • Assess needs of each offender in relation to: - Tenancy management and sustainment skills (paying rent

and bills; caring for property; being considerate neighbour) - Affordability

- Ability to share accommodation with others

- Risks to self or others from sharing accommodation

• Highlight strengths as well as vulnerabilities • Find out which local agencies offer pre & post tenancy

support• Think about how the OLASS & other training programmes

can support tenancy related skills e.g. budgeting

Pre & post tenancy support• Advice on presenting yourself well to private landlords

should be covered for all• A tenancy ‘health check’ 6-8 weeks after rehousing can

prevent early problems escalating • Some PRS access agencies provide pre and/or post

tenancy support • Local housing associations or local authorities may run

tenancy skills courses• Local housing options teams can advise on what

tenancy support is available and to whom• Utilise skills development via OLASS

Planning for release• Time in custody is an important opportunity to address

housing barriers• Prisoners should be encouraged to minimise debt and

begin saving• Evidence of ability to save can be seen positively by

landlords/PRS access agencies• Facilitate pre-release housing interviews via video link or

ROTL facilities• Try to arrange short term accommodation on release

B&B, hostel, supportive family) if PRS tenancy not immediately available

Benefits and affordability• Huge changes underway in benefits system

• Universal Credit due to be introduced in Oct 2013 for new claimants with ‘housing costs element’ in place of housing benefit (calculated in similar way)

• Housing costs element priced for cheapest third of PRS market

• Most single people <35 yrs will have housing element priced to pay for costs of shared accommodation in PRS

• Exceptions to the shared accommodation rate inc: - MAPPA offenders aged 25-34 subject to level 2 or 3 management

- Care leavers aged under 22

- People entitled to Severe Disability Premium

- Claimants 25-34 yrs who have spent 3+ months in homeless hostel

Managing risks to....• Tailor pre and post housing support to identified risks to:

- Offender: tenancy failure & poor housing record; harm or exploitation; relapse or reoffending

- Neighbours/sharers: anti-social behaviour; exploitation/harm

- Landlord: property damage; income loss; violence/threats

- Wider public: offending/harm

• Sharing information with others can enable risks to be managed

• Encourage offenders to ask for help early by highlighting that this is positive behaviour

• Housing work with MAPPA clients must have the approval of the MAPPA panel

Sharing information• Sharing info must be necessary and proportionate to

risks of harm or with consent of offender unless required by law

• Encourage offenders to give consent to help others to assist them with housing & support needs

• Remind landlords and others you share sensitive info with about their own obligations under Data Protection & Human Rights legislation

• Only share information with those who “need to know” in order to manage risks or deliver the right support

• Don’t allow your wish to secure accommodation for the offender override risks to them or others from not sharing info

Key partners

• PRS Access Agencies

• Local Authority lead on PRS within local authority

• Floating support or pre-tenancy support providers

• LA Housing Options teams

Discussion:

• How much of this are you doing already?• Which bits could you do better?• What partnerships do you need to build to be

more effective in supporting access to PRS?• What partnerships do you need to support

tenancy sustainment? • Who will do what, and by when, in your team?• How will you know if the steps you have taken

have made a difference?

More information • Find PRS access agencies at

www.privaterentedsector.org.uk• Find summary guidance at

www.crisis.org.uk/offessentials• Find detailed guidance at www.crisis.org.uk/offguide• Details of PRS rent levels eligible for benefit:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/diol1/doitonline/dg_196239