Homeless families' 10-year wait for council housing

More than a thousand homeless families are facing waits of up to 10 years in "expensive" and "mixed quality" temporary accommodation, a council has said.

Slough Borough Council said it was forecast to spend £30m on temporary accommodation this year after demand skyrocketed.

A report to council leaders said the authority currently pays for more than 1,400 temporary homes for more than 1,200 homeless families, many of them rented on a nightly basis from private landlords.

But it said this accommodation was "expensive, volatile and of mixed quality", while families could be left waiting years for permanent homes.

The report said: "It is difficult to budget accurately because providers can change nightly rates at will and can withdraw properties at any time.

"Like most local authorities the council does not have enough suitably sized accommodation to permanently house homeless families, either in its own stock, registered provider stock or within the private sector."

It said a homeless family needing a four-bedroom home could wait an average of 10 years for a permanent place to live, five to six years for a three-bedroom home and four years for a two-bedroom home.

As an alternative to nightly accommodation, council leaders approved plans to rent 25 homes on a long-lease basis.

Slough Borough Council estimated this could save £1.3m in the first full year – and almost £10m in total, based on estimated wait times.

It said it was seeking proposals from private providers for the 25-home pilot test.

"There has been a growing interest from private investors and fund managers in the temporary accommodation and move-on market for homeless households," the report said.

"Big institutional investors are attracted by the prospect of long-term leases underpinned by council guarantees/covenants and predictable rent rises."

Speaking to council leaders at a cabinet meeting on 14 April, executive director for housing Pat Hayes said London boroughs had already begun letting temporary accommodation on long leases.

He said if the pilot was successful, the council should seek to lease more.

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