Council secures £70,000 grant to support private sector renters

Couple looking at bills
Private renters could receive financial support

Runnymede Borough Council has secured vital funding to support private rented sector households who have fallen behind on rent payments during the pandemic.

The £70,000 grant, which has been made available from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, will help to prevent homelessness and support families to get back on their feet.

The funding will aid tenants living in independent private sector properties and those renting with the Council’s private lettings service Magna Carta Lettings. Residents who are behind on rent and landlords with tenants in rent arrears are urged to contact the Council as soon as possible, as the money must be allocated to those in need before the end of March 2022.

Cllr Jacqui Gracey, Chair of the Council’s Housing Committee, said

The pandemic has undoubtedly created financial difficulties for many families and individuals on a low-income. We are delighted to have secured this vital funding to help support renters across our Borough who are having difficulty paying rent, preventing homelessness in the process.

If you are facing financial hardship, I urge you to contact the Council’s housing solutions team today. They will be able to work alongside you to help you clear rent debt, securing your home as we start the new year.

If you are struggling, or if you are a private sector landlord with a tenant who is behind on rent payments, please contact housingsolutions@runnymede.gov.uk or call us on 01932 838383.

The housing solutions team will be able to work alongside you to assess your eligibility for financial support.

Outside of this funding, the Council can also provide support and advice if you are at risk of losing your home or if you have been asked to leave where you are living, including:

  • assessing your situation and explaining your rights
  • offering you advice on how to save your tenancy, if applicable
  • try to prevent you from becoming homeless, such as mediation between yourself and the excluder
  • offer advice on finding a new home
  • explain the duties the Council may owe to you
  • investigate whether there is any other funding or support available to you

Read more about the Council’s homelessness support services

If you are a landlord or have an empty property that you are considering letting or are unsure what to do with it next, the Council has a variety of incentives available through its private lettings service. Find out more about Magna Carta Lettings

Published: 17 January 2022