FOI request (FOI-95365360)

Discharging of Homelessness Duties into the PRS

Requested Mon 12 November 2018
Responded  Tue 20 November 2018

The Residential Landlords Association Private renting Evidence, Analysis and Research Lab (RLA PEARL) is conducting research on the discharging of homelessness duties into the private rented sector by your Local Authority between 2015 and 2018.

Please note that the survey closes on 11 December at 17:00 BST.

To help us with this research, could you please reply using our online form.

Alternatively, you can also fill in the tables and reply via email if necessary.

Please note that you can return to the survey before the closing date and finish later if necessary, download a copy of the response and a submission confirmation receipt. Please also note that the RLA may have other FOI requests currently in process with your Local Authority.

Please can you provide information on the discharging of the homelessness duties into the private rented sector by your Local Authority:

Please enter your Local Authority:

The number of households your Local Authority has made on offer of temporary accommodation in the private rented sector under the main housing duty under homelessness law.

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

The number of households your Local Authority has made an offer of permanent accommodation in the private rented sector under the main housing duty under homelessness law.

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

The number of households your Local Authority has made an offer of accommodation in the private rented sector outside of the applicant's household district.

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

How much does your Local Authority spend yearly on temporary accommodation in the private rented sector?

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Does your Local Authority have a policy on providing financial assistance to private landlords in order to secure accommodation for homeless households? This may include but not be limited to a finder's fee or a one-off payment to avoid eviction.

Response

Q - Households offered temporary accommodation in the private rented sector

A - This information is available on our website at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness

Q - Households offered permanent accommodation in the private rented sector

A - This information is available on our website available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness

Q - Households made an offer of accommodation in the private rented sector outside of borough

A -

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

The information requested above would require us to carry out a manual search of our files and it has been determined that this would far exceed the time limit set out by the Information Commissioner therefore under S12 of the Freedom of information Act 2000 provides an exemption from the obligation to comply with a request for information if the estimated costs of complying with that request would exceed the prescribed appropriate limit.

We estimate that the costs of complying with your request would exceed the appropriate limit by a significant amount.

For this reason we feel unable to comply with this request.

Q - Temporary accommodation spend (emergency B&B temporary accommodation)

A -

2014/2015 Gross = £326,601.88 Net = £146,328.68

2015/2016 Gross = £315,343.37 Net = £110,494.27

2016/2017 Gross = £541,450.53 Net = £267,557.28

2017/2018 Gross = £920,347.00 Net = £757,515.93

Q - Policy for financial assistance to private landlords in order to secure accommodation for homeless households.

A - Hastings Borough Council provide financial assistance by way of a loan towards deposits, rent in advance and rent arrears. We do not provide loans for admin / finder's fees. For all of these we do have processes and procedures in place and it is a case by case as to whether or not we are able to issues these loans.