Breckland Council Rent & Deposit Loan Scheme provides a loan to allow people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness to rent a property in the private sector, when they have no funds to put down a deposit and rent in advance.
The scheme will make loans to cover one month’s rent in advance, and a damage deposit which is equivalent to or less than one month’s rent. It will not cover any additional deposit requirements or charges such as credit checks.
At the present time the scheme is available to those households in the Breckland District who are homeless or threatened with homelessness if they have no funds. See our section on ' Homelessness' for more information.
Click on the links below for further information
Information for Customers
If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness the first step is to contact a Housing Advisory Officer, who will examine your housing options with you.
We will carry out a financial assessment of your income and outgoings, and we will only help you if we believe the property will be affordable to you in the medium to long term. We will also use this financial assessment to draw up a repayment plan which will be affordable to you, if we decide to offer you a loan.
If your Housing Advisory Officer advises you you are eligible for the scheme, the next step is to find a property you wish to rent. You will need to be realistic about what properties will be suitable and affordable for you.
See our section on Renting from a Private Landlord for advice about finding a property, and costs and affordability.
If we believe the property is suitable for your needs and affordable for you, we will speak to the landlord or agent to make sure they are happy to accept the scheme. Most landlords are happy to do so, as the money is paid direct to them, just like you have paid it yourself.
Once we have the landlord’s agreement, we will arrange to meet you and the landlord at the property, where we can sign the agreements between the Council, yourselves and the landlord. We will carry out an inventory of the property so we can check the condition of the property and any furniture and fittings, and the tenancy agreement is usually signed at, or a few days after, this meeting.
The scheme normally applies to Assured Shorthold tenancy agreements of at least six months, but we will consider other arrangements, such as a shared house or renting a room in someone’s home, if we feel this is the most suitable solution for you.
You can then move into your property and start repaying the loan at the agreed rate. If your income changes, it is your responsibility to let us know, and we will adjust your repayment amounts accordingly.
Please note that if your prospective landlord does ask for a deposit, your landlord is obliged upon receipt to protect it using a government authorised tenancy deposit scheme which started in April 2007.
The Tenancy Deposit Protection system is intended to ensure that
- tenants get all or part of the deposit back, at the end of the tenancy, less the cost of any agreed cleaning or repair costs
- any disputes over the return of the deposit between yourself and your landlord or agent are resolved by reference to an arbitration service
At the beginning of the tenancy, you pay the deposit to the landlord or agent. Within 14 days, the landlord or agent is required to give you details about how your deposit is protected including -
- the contact details of the tenancy deposit scheme
- the contact details of the landlord or agent
- how to apply for the release of the deposit
- information explaining the purpose of the deposit
- what to do if there is a dispute about the deposit
The Council may have to become a party to the arrangements for protecting the deposit in a particular case, because it is a loan. We will discuss this with you if it becomes the case.
It is important to note that to ensure that you receive your deposit back, you keep the property in the same condition as it was when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear.
This is one of the reasons why it is essential to have an agreed inventory before the tenancy starts.
Further details are available on our Tenancy Deposit Page
At the end of your tenancy, if you have repaid the loan and your landlord says there is no damage to the property (we can use our inventory to check this), your damage deposit will be returned to you in full. If you have not finished repaying the loan we will calculate what you owe and repay any difference. You are responsible for any damage or outstanding rent claims, and these will be taken into account in our final calculation.
See our section on Renting from a Private Landlord for further information about tenancy agreements and moving in and out of a property, or ask a Housing Advisory Officer.
For further information see the below downloadable leaflet
Leaflet ‘ a guide to rent & deposit loan scheme (customers)’
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Information for Landlords
If you are considering renting a property to a tenant who needs help with this scheme we will send you a copy of the agreement we will need you to sign. This simple agreement sets out the terms of the scheme, and asks you to:
- Confirm that any deposit is protected under a Government-approved scheme
- Provide the Council with a copy of any notice served on the tenant
- Let us know if the tenant serves notice to quit or vacates the property
- Let us know if the rent becomes in arrears.
The Council will do everything possible to help if there are problems with the tenancy, and will work with you and the tenant to resolve any issues.
If you are happy with the agreement we will ask you to provide us with a copy of the proposed tenancy agreement, and we will arrange to meet you and the tenant at the property to sign all the relevant paperwork. We will ask you to bring with you to the meeting:
- Proof of identity
- A copy of the gas safety certificate for the property (if applicable)
- Bank details so we can pay you
- Which tenancy deposit protection scheme you are proposing to use
During the meeting at the property we will either agree an inventory with you and take a copy, or undertake our own inventory and ask you to agree to this.
Once all the paper work is signed we will give you a letter guaranteeing payment of the agreed amount, and this will be paid direct into your bank account within a few working days. We can pay the amount before the tenancy agreement is signed if you wish, but we will expect you to provide the above information before we do so.
We will ask you to provide a tenancy agreement to the tenant within 3 working days of signing the agreement. Most landlords are happy to provide this at our meeting. We ask that you provide us with a copy of the signed tenancy agreement within 3 working days of the tenancy agreement signing.
Where you have taken a deposit, we will also ask you to confirm in writing which tenancy deposit protection scheme you have used to protect the tenancy. For further information about tenancy deposit protection, please see our Tenancy Deposit Page.
Please note that if you ask your prospective tenant for a deposit, you are obliged upon receipt to protect it using a government authorised tenancy deposit scheme which started in April 2007.
The Tenancy Deposit Protection system allows you to resolve any disputes about the condition of the property between yourself and your tenant landlord or agent by reference to an arbitration service
At the beginning of a new tenancy agreement, you pay your deposit to the landlord or agent as usual. Within 14 days, the landlord or agent is required to give you details about how your deposit is protected including:
• The contact details of the tenancy deposit scheme
• The contact details of the landlord or agent
• How to apply for the release of the deposit
• Information explaining the purpose of the deposit
• What to do if there is a dispute about the deposit
If you don’t get this information, ask your landlord or agent the simple question, ‘How is my deposit protected?’
To ensure that you receive your deposit back, you have a responsibility to return the property in the same condition that it was let to you, allowing for fair wear and tear. So it is a good idea to make sure that when you sign your tenancy agreement, you: • Keep a detailed list of contents (furniture and fittings) • Record the condition of the property and its contents (photographs are a good idea) • Check the circumstances in which your landlord or agent could have a claim on your deposit
Please complete the below declaration setting out which tenancy deposit protection scheme the Landlord is proposing to use with regard to the proportion of the payment detailed above which relates to the damage deposit.
Scheme to be used (please tick)
- Custodial Scheme (Deposit Protection Services)
- Insurance-based Scheme (The Tenancy Deposit Scheme)
- Insurance-based Scheme (Tenancy Deposit Solutions Ltd)
For further information see the below downloadable leaflet
Leaflet ‘ a guide to rent & deposit loan scheme (landlords)’
If you would like to speak to someone about the scheme, please call us on 01362 656870 and ask for the Duty Housing Advisory Officer.
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a guide to rent & deposit loan scheme (customers)’ (PDF Document, 947Kb)
a guide to rent & deposit loan scheme (landlords)’(PDF Document, 903Kb)
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