Question: Can the Find a Home Scheme contract be extended at the end of the initial three years?
Answer: It is possible to extend a contract when it expires but will depend on several factors, such as how the initial three years have progressed and the circumstances of the tenant in the property. If the landlord wishes to extend a contract for a further period they will need to discuss this with the Council towards the end of the contract.
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Question: Can I appoint an agent to manage the property on my behalf?
Answer: Yes, you can appoint a property agent to manage the property on your behalf so long as they are aware of the involvement of the Council.
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Question: What does the damage guarantee include?
Answer: The damage guarantee includes repair of damage that has been caused by the tenant and that is beyond fair wear and tear. However, the guarantee will not replace new for old or pay for upgrades, and so could only cover a proportion of repairs under these circumstances.
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Question: Does the rent guarantee cover periods while the property is empty?
Answer: The rent guarantee does cover the rent while the property is empty (between tenancies) in most instances and will take into account periods where repairs need to be undertaken. However, the rent guarantee may not pay out if the property is left empty unnecessarily, i.e. if repair works are taking longer than is reasonably required.
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Question: Is there a maximum amount that I can charge for rent?
Answer: In return for the full rent guarantee and damage guarantee that are offered by the scheme, the Council require the property to be affordable for a tenant, irrespective of their circumstances. The rent level is therefore capped at the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) for the size of property. The current LHA levels for the Island can be found via following the related link.
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Related LinkHas this FAQ answered your query? Question: Do I have a choice of who lives in my property?
Answer: In return for the guarantees that the scheme offers, the Council make the decision of who will be offered a tenancy in your property and your input into this decision is limited. However, if you have any particular concerns about a nominated tenant, for example because you have rented a property to them in the past, these concerns will be given serious consideration by the Council.
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Question: Will my property need to meet any standards to be suitable for the scheme?
Answer: All properties must meet a minimum standard of health and safety under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and associated legislation. The Council will be required access to each property to make an assessment of the suitability and safety standards in the property.
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Question: Do the Council make checks into the tenant prior to offering them the tenancy?
Answer: The Council does not wish to create tenancies that are likely to break down or result in claims under the guarantees, and so checks are made into a prospective tenant’s circumstances. These checks are tailored to the circumstances of the prospective tenant and can vary from case to case. The types of checks that are undertaken include: an assessment of their ability to afford the property by looking at their income and expenditure; checks into why they are leaving their current/previous accommodation; a home visit to assess how they maintain their current accommodation; dialogue with their previous landlord to ascertain any known issues.
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Question: Does the rent guarantee start from the date that the property contract is signed?
Answer: Not necessarily. The guarantees offered under the Find a Home Scheme begin from the start date of the first tenancy that has been facilitated by the Council under the scheme. Therefore, if the contract between the Council and the landlord is signed prior to the start of the first tenancy, this period is not covered.
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Question: How long will it take for the Council to find a tenant for the property once it is ready for letting?
Answer: This is dependent on a number of factors such as the desirability of the property and who the Council is working with at the time that the property will be available. It would not usually take longer than 3 weeks to secure a new tenant for a property, and will often happen more quickly, but it can sometimes take a bit longer.
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Question: Who is responsible to provide maintenance and repairs to the property?
Answer: Under the terms of the scheme, the Council acts as the guarantor but does not take over the landlord’s responsibilities. Therefore, the landlord or their appointed agent is responsible for carrying out maintenance and repairs.
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Question: What happens if the tenant stops paying the rent?
Answer: If the rent is not being paid, the landlord should initially contact the tenant and attempt to resolve the situation. If they are unable to do so, the Council will then contact the tenant directly to try to resolve the issue. The property contract states that any rent arrears will be paid under the guarantee if it reaches at least 8 weeks, but the Council would hope to resolve any issues before this.
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Question: How long does the Landlord Incentive Scheme contract with the Council run for?
Answer: The standard length of the contract for properties to be tied into the scheme is three years.
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Question: What types of properties are the Council interested in?
Answer: The scheme is designed to find privately rented accommodation for households who have approached the Council because they are being made homeless and the Council require a range of properties to meet their needs. We are looking for all sizes of self contained accommodation from bedsits to one and two bedroom properties up to larger family homes, preferably in the main town areas of the Island.
Each property will be assessed upon its own qualities and in conjunction with the households approaching the Council at that time.
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Question: Will the tenant be in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit?
Answer: The tenant may be in receipt of benefits if they are on a low income, which would be either in the form of either Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. We will advise you prior to the tenancy commencing which benefit they will be in receipt of and how this will affect the tenancy.
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