Councils renting private houses

[Harry Bloomfield]

Simple question - Do local councils rent private houses from their owners?

Anyone done it, what are the complications? How much do they pay, compared to renting a house out privately?

 

[crystal ball]

Let your home to the council: Paul Gosling reports on a tenant who

HELEN SKILTON of Leicester is planning to travel for two years and wants to let her house. She thinks Leicester city council may be the ideal tenant.

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Justin Passing]

They did. I had one. All simple, they wanted somethingorother done like linked smoke alarms but they did it free in the end. Rent was 10% down or so . Took it immediately.

Tenants were A holes, kicked the bath panel in, stood on the loo so it was loose etc, baby p'd everywhere by the smell of it, swung on the kitchen cupboard doors.
I got some advice from someone who'd been through claiming from the council before. The claim was such that they refitted and redecorated.
New carpets, the lot. They took a few weeks to do it - but I was still getting rent, so I used the time to find a private tenant because it was nicer than when I bought it.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It sounds like a safe option, but there can be better ones - thanks..

 

[Deleted member 18243]

The majority of council housing near me is going to immigrants who speak no English.

With 10 million people added to the population in 25 years there's pressure on all sectors of housing.

 

[Tigercubrider]

An ex girlfriend of mine did it. She and a mate bought a house together, then moved in with boyfriends a few years later. The council took care of everything afaik. Haven’t seen her in person in ages though.

 

[johnny2007]

Here in west London they offer roughly 2/3 of going rent, but they take care of all ongoing maintenance and repairs and at the end of tenancy (if you decide to get the property back), they redecorate and fix everything.
So in reality you shouldn't care who they put in there.
Rent is guaranteed because it comes straight from the council, you don't have any contract/dealings with tenants.
But you would only get 2/3 of going rate.
There are pros and cons.

 

[Deleted member 18243]

Here in west London they offer roughly 2/3 of going rent, but they take care of all ongoing maintenance and repairs and at the end of tenancy (if you decide to get the property back), they redecorate and fix everything.
So in reality you shouldn't care who they put in there.
Rent is guaranteed because it comes straight from the TAXPAYER WHO HAS NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER BUT TO PAY OR GO TO JAIL, you don't have any contract/dealings with tenants.
But you would only get 2/3 of going rate.
There are pros and cons.

 

[gas112]

mate done it , tenant left it a shyte hole and despite council saying everything would be brought up to standard nothing was done and as has been said the rent is a lot lower and the first few months of the rent is used to build up the security deposit

 

[Justin Passing]

mate done it , tenant left it a shyte hole and despite council saying everything would be brought up to standard nothing was done and as has been said the rent is a lot lower and the first few months of the rent is used to build up the security deposit

Your mate should have got advice.
The "advice" I got included the right solicitor to write the claim. He made it clear they were going to court sharpish and they'd lose and incur costs.
Details were on the web.
Rent wasn't bad when everything taken in, it worked out to about 90%. Councli weren't too bothered about the condition at the start and it was tired, so never would have got the best rent. Certainly didn't lose any months of rent. Turned out fine.