Which Way Home? 13 services in some areas. The role of deposits in This point was highlighted by another staff facilitating access to stand alone accommodation member, who was reflecting on the approach as a component of a housing-led approach was a taken by the Pathways model in New York towards point of contention. In areas where there was sub-letting, financial assistance with deposits it was noted by increasingly being curtailed or that the process of “ wanhavemorvicntusindepemdenum support whotidennisreoeievesotteWsawsresuecivresrofsseccatahtstnednopse r obtaining such financial assistance was taking accommodation, but they want the safety of longer. In part, this was due to wider cuts in the knowing that if they go into private rented, that resources available to service providers. It was they are not going to fall through the gaps if they also felt that there was a lack of transparency in have a slip. So that’s the big fear piece. So the relation to how deposits were allocated and why. security of Housing First. Because generally they take over a tenancy, so they are sub-letting However, there was also an issue about the and there is an extra layer of security there. So number of times that an individual service user that’s important in terms of any future housing was eligible for help with deposits in cases where options that we look at (staff). tenancies might often break down. This particular problem was exacerbated in situations where Indeed, sub-letting was viewed by a number of some landlords were reported as unreasonably respondents as a significant mechanism for withholding deposits at the end of tenancies. On making the most of the supply of accommodation one hand there was a view that allocation that could come through private renting. Initiatives mechanisms for access to funding for deposits such as Cork Rentals offered an opportunity to needed to recognise that some people with high facilitate access to tenancies, as well as provide a support needs may move through a rapid greater sense of security for service users. succession of tenancies. On the other hand, a Nevertheless, one respondent felt that any couple of respondents noted a wider difference between the level of rent allowance and responsibility to tenants who made use of support market rents should be a matter for national policy, for deposits on equity grounds. and that there should not be a reliance on the financial input of voluntary agencies to make good Whilst there was considerable discussion about any gaps. There was also a view that highlighted accessing private renting, there were also a wide the potential for building a direct link between the variety of views about the type of support that service user and the private landlord, rather than Simon Communities might offer in relation to maintaining the relationship between the service sustaining tenancies in private renting. One of the user and the Simon Communities. In this regard, key issues was the degree of impermanence and the possibility of starting off with a sub-let and lack of security that tenants feel in private renting, eventually working towards handing over the illustrated in the following observation by a staff tenancy to the service user was seen as a valuable respondent about people who have used route to explore. treatment services, The future introduction of Housing Assistance “ thom rounhhsleepiab,, isnroiantafteocarte x; two- Peercsntccessmieooprihesearfecottileigsatlhrptecurlrornhleytteylfaietcuoasei,tentnunpifidtaavdtefwtenviosaswgnsiameotmeysavobthgiartselopeoedprthtniiwhsgseacttcusgenmhoesrsdathgeovmaeheerrWf programme or aftercare house and then into possible use of bonds as a way of mitigating the private renting or local authority need for deposits. However, there was a concern accommodation. People moving into local by one respondent that the new system might lack authority housing have done really well, the flexibility necessary to deliver a housing-led because they have security of tenure. We find approach. Another option would be the that private renting is not really working. They introduction of a deposit guarantee scheme, which don’t have that security – still feel they are not would minimise the potential for unscrupulous secure (staff). landlords to withhold deposits unfairly.
Which Way Home?
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