Caerphilly County Borough Council has launched a new website which aims to prevent homelessness by matching people to suitable properties.
The Caerphilly Keys website provides information for private landlords on the scheme that connects landlords and tenants and then offers support to both tenants and landlords to sustain the tenancy.
The service is led by the Council’s Housing Solutions team and is free, including viewings and quarterly monitoring visits.
The wider scheme has already registered over 100 properties and helped many people who would otherwise have become homeless, including sourcing 15 properties during the pandemic to move homeless clients from temporary accommodation into long term private rentals.
Cllr Lisa Phipps, the Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: ‘Caerphilly Keys is an innovative project and the first of its kind to be run by a Welsh local authority. It’s impact on tackling and preventing homelessness has been significant.
‘I’m excited to see the launch of this new website, which provides a portal for both current and prospective landlords to find out more about the scheme and the benefits it offers them, as well as providing information for tenants.’
The Caerphilly Homes team also works in partnership with DWP, thanks to a grant through its Flexible Support Fund, to provide enhanced support for tenants.
This includes working with local Job Centres and a dedicated Partnership Manager to help sustain tenancies, increase training, education and employment opportunities, reduce poverty and increase the financial capacity of households by setting up direct payments to landlords to prevent rent arrears.
More information about the scheme can be found on the website here.
In related news, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced a £16m-pilot project to support people experiencing homelessness after being discharged from hospital.
Photo supplied by Caerphilly County Borough Council
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