Council signs contract for new PSL scheme

Bedford Borough Council and property group, Orchard & Shipman, have signed a contract to work in partnership on a new Private Sector Leasing Scheme (PSL).

Orchard & Shipman will supply a minimum of 62 self-contained quality properties obtained from the private rented sector. In turn, this will meet the council’s statutory duty to provide suitable temporary accommodation to homeless households.

Cllr Roger Rigby, portfolio holder for adult services at Bedford Borough Council, said: “In these challenging economic times, letting a home has become more desirable, and the private rented sector is becoming a more vital part of the council’s housing strategy. This approach is about the council ensuring we fully harness the potential of private sector rented property. It will improve service availability for some individuals who would have otherwise been faced with homelessness if it had not been for this scheme.”

The new PSL scheme will allow the council to lease properties from private landlords and other property owners for periods of up to between 3 years initially. These homes are then let to people who are homeless, with Orchard & Shipman acting as the managing agent throughout the process.
The contract will be subject to regular review and will officially start in January 2012.
The council’s existing contract with Bpha comes to an end in March 2012.