Drug Interventions Programme

Comprehensive Rent Deposit Model

This section contains information relating to ongoing work with the private rented sector and in particular findings from 13 DAT partnership areas who were funded for two years from April 2005 until March 2007 to develop a Comprehensive Rent Deposit Model (CRDM).

Background

Rent deposit schemes have been shown to be an effective approach that can address the accommodation needs of some but not all individuals, who are eligible for housing benefit but for whom local authorities have no duty to secure accommodation under the Homelessness Legislation.

From April 2005, all Drug Action Teams (DATs) were able to use the DIP main grant funding in line with their local homelessness strategy and DAT Treatment Plan to fund rent deposit arrangements in line with local arrangements.

To further identify practice and practical solutions that could assist DATs and related partners in preventing homelessness, 13 DAT partnerships were selected in 2005 to locally develop and deliver a Comprehensive Rent Deposit Model (CRDM), building on their existing local arrangements.

The term model was used to acknowledge that there were a number of key elements that needed to sit alongside the ‘rent deposit’ in order that housing through the private rented sector could be considered a practical and viable option.

Additional funding from DIP was made available for a two year period from 2005 until March 2007 to enhance and/or develop capacity of existing provision delivered by those local authority schemes or Voluntary/Charitable agencies where appropriate.

To manage development and implementation of the model within this two year timescale, the target group of clients were drug misusing offenders on the CJIT caseload leaving prison or residential settings. The model had to be planned and delivered in line with the local Homelessness Strategy and the DAT Treatment Plan and could not be delivered in isolation of existing drug and housing interventions.

Many DAT partnership areas, in addition to the 13 DATs identified have also developed or are in the process of developing and strengthening partnerships with the local private rented sector. It is important that their findings and experiences are also shared and promoted. Further work on promoting practice next year will seek to work with them and incorporate further lessons to be learnt.

It is recognised that the private rented sector and arrangements for rent deposit schemes are not the only solution to meet housing needs and/or prevent homelessness for all drug misusing offenders i.e. on the CJIT caseload. However with the right partnerships, assessment of need and related support they can provide for some the first opportunity for their own safe space and what they can call home.

What is a rent deposit scheme?

There is no single definition of a rent deposit scheme. Practice and findings from the National Rent Deposit Forum (2004) identified a range of approaches delivered through local authority charities and/or voluntary sector which could be grouped into the following:

deposit schemes – cash deposit on clients behalf
bond schemes – a legal agreement for guaranteeing damage deposit for the landlord
rent in advance/rent guarantee schemes – rent paid whilst waiting for housing benefits
rent deposit guarantee scheme – a combination of the above

Findings and existing practice highlighted that in addition to the ‘cash’ element of the bond a number of elements needed to be in place to provide appropriate support to
those for whom the private rented sector may be appropriate:

contact and engagement – workers are able to identify those drug misusing offenders with housing and related support needs who are leaving or have recently left prison or residential rehabilitation
specialist assessment and support – a housing worker (as opposed to a drug worker) will assess housing and related support needs, has awareness of available housing options including private rented sector, and where appropriate can case manage the related accommodation elements in agreement with other stakeholders,providing support for those applying for and entering accommodation
link up and access – the ‘housing’ worker agrees with the CJIT worker the case management arrangements so that drug related needs are supported in conjunction with access to other wraparound services and work done within the CJIT
tenancy management – to prevent the failure of tenancies and provide a contact and reference point for landlords
a bond – and other necessary landlord guarantees, where a private tenancy is chosen

The following key elements and approaches were also identified as needs, and practical support required, by clients in existing rent deposit arrangements. They were:

Pre-tenancy counselling
Help with negotiation and sign up of tenancy
Support with Housing Benefit application
Help with the transfer of Job Seekers Allowance/Income Support claim to new address
The identification of support services (if not already known), and making links to local CJIT and education, training and employment services
Help with connection of gas/electricity
Help with getting to know the local area i.e. shops, transport links etc.
Facilitated access to floating support arrangements

Promoting practice

Local authorities and housing associations are increasingly looking to the private sector as a means of meeting housing needs. This is in part because of shrinking
social rented stock but also because of the recent expansion of the private rented sector. Privately owned housing has also become a very important source of temporary accommodation for those people accepted as homeless and in priority need, who are awaiting settled housing.

This section provides feedback on practice and findings related to work related to developing and implementing the Comprehensive Rent Deposit Model in 13 DAT partnership areas.

Progress Updates

Specific monitoring arrangements have been agreed with partners and all CRDM DAT areas. The progress updates provide an analysis of the data provided on a quarterly basis.

CRDM Seminars

CRDM Seminars are held in order for the 13 DAT areas to hear lessons learnt and to share practice. They include presentations and workshops which promote and share existing practice, help to develop ideas and approaches and enable further details on monitoring arrangements to be shared.

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