Landlords? Sounds far-fetched doesn’t it. But as we move from an unprecedentedly mild autumn into what’s starting to feel like a ‘proper’ British winter, thoughts are turning to flu and Covid jabs. And it’s getting harder to ignore the fact that even with the vaccinations, we’re still vulnerable since we’ve all been artificially protected from both viruses and more besides by social distancing and isolating for the last couple of winters.
It’s not exactly news that we’re in the throes of an unprecedented ‘cost of living crisis’. Equally depressing are recent reports of ‘slum-like’ social housing in which tenants are living in conditions so dire that their homes are actually making them ill. Of course spiralling inflation isn’t helping – because the cost of remedying poor housing is increasing. The consequences of poor housing have been made tragically clear by the Coroner’s report on the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak due to “prolonged exposure” to mould in his home. But what about overcrowded housing? This is another obvious effect of the social housing deficit – and one that the Covid-19 pandemic brought into painfully sharp focus as families were confined at home for months at a time, making effective isolation impossible.
That problem didn’t go away at the end of last year – any more that did the flu or Covid. And as people stay at home more and more in the colder weather, overcrowded homes create the perfect conditions for the spread of respiratory and other diseases.
All pretty depressing isn’t it… But here’s a rather more uplifting thought! If you’re a landlord, whether you have a single house or flat or an impressive portfolio to offer, you can make a difference simply by adding yours to the pool of property available for social housing with our Guaranteed Rent for Landlords scheme. The great thing about these is that you have the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping put desperately needed roofs over families’ heads AND complete peace of mind in the knowledge that you getting the rent paid every month without fail at a fixed rate for up to 5 years. And that you’re handing over all your tenant, maintenance and repair, arrears and vacancy headaches along with the keys!