Administrative housing services

Tender description

South Lanarkshire Council is looking to procure the services of a suitably experienced external provider for the management of a service that will provide innovative approaches to assisting households to access and sustain tenancies in the Private Rented Sector. South Lanarkshire Council is looking to procure the services of a suitably experienced external provider for the management of a service that will provide innovative approaches to assisting households to access and sustain tenancies in the Private Rented Sector, including: 1) The management and provision of a Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme for a maximum of 150 households at any given time. The successful provider will manage and provide an underwritten bond to households referred to the scheme by South Lanarkshire Council or the self-referral process. They will assess the tenant’s eligibility and affordability for the scheme. The service will assist the tenant in obtaining housing benefit and rent in advance options, submissions and introduce prospective tenants to private sector landlords. The provider is also expected to ensure the tenant enters into a savings scheme to cover the bond value when the written bond expires, provide tenants with information and advice throughout the period of the bond agreement. Upon receipt of a bond claim the provider is expected to assess the validity of the claim and pay out where appropriate, and subsequently invoice the Council for reimbursement of the claim. 2) Working innovatively to create/improve links to the private sector, improving access opportunities and increasing the number of landlords willing to take referrals from the service. Targeted responses focused on specific groups, e.g. single people under 25 years, or households fleeing Domestic Abuse. 3) Developing innovative responses to assist people to sustain private sector tenancies in the longer terms, including financial capability assistance and assistance to access training courses available to them externally or employment opportunities. Targeted responses focused on specific groups, e.g. single people under 25 years or households fleeing domestic abuse. 4) The provider will manage a small pot of money that will be paid upfront from the Council to the service provider for them to use for specific initiatives to help households access and maintain accommodation in the private sector.