Newcastle City schemes help with rent deposits

Families local to Newcastle City have a number of services available to them that can help them access private rented sector housing. One of them is help in paying the deposit on a home or flat in the greater Newcastle upon Tyne area. The council will provide eligible residents with a bond for this expense, and the Rent Deposit Scheme (RDS) is combined with other housing advice.

All of the council schemes are provided as part of the Private Rented Service. There are three centres in the city that people can drop in at for information or applications. There are customer support specialists available that will meet face to face with the person to answer questions and provide free advice. They can also help people apply for a bond for paying a deposit from RDS. The addresses of the centres are below.

The property selected for the tenancy agreement can be anywhere in Newcastle upon Tyne. The applicant does need agreement from the landlord though to use the bond in place of a cash deposit. Not all property owners will always agree to this form of payment, so it is dependent on their participation as well.

If the landlord in Newcastle City agrees to the programme, only at that time should a formal application be done for the Rent Deposit Scheme (RDS). The housing team at the local authorities will assess the request closely as not every person who applies will be provided assistance. The council is under no legal obligation to provide support.

RDS will require the address of the property, applicant’s registration number, proof of residency and age, income, and more. The tenancy agreement will also need to be assessed by the Newcastle City authorities to ensure the property is affordable. A bond will only help pay the deposit is the tenant can prove that they can afford the future rent payments on their own, with no further support. Otherwise it is possible that the person could just be evicted again in the future.

After the application has been approved, then the deposit guarantee will be provided. It is a temporary source of funds for the tenant and is aimed at helping those families or the homeless on a low income with no source of cash. The person will need to take on the deposit after 12 months, when the guarantee expires.

This means that they will need to save money over the next year on a monthly basis. The Newcastle City team can request proof of this occurring during the tenancy agreement. If this does not take place, then the authorities can take legal action or the family could be evicted.

During the course of the Newcastle Rent Deposit Scheme, the home will need to be maintained as well as the rent needs to be paid on time. If there is damage beyond normal wear and tear done to the property, then the tenant will need to cover it. The bond guarantee will also not help pay for rent arrears.

More information on deposit schemes as well as all of the other Private Rented Services take place as follows.

-Byker and Walker are is at St Martins Centre, Roman Avenue. The drop in is open Friday‘s between 12 noon and 4.
-Residents in Benwell & Scotswood can drop in Thursday’s at Condercum Road Customer Service Centre.
-Elswick and Wingrove families can use the Cruddas Park Library. Learn about deposit schemes on Tuesdays from 1.30pm – 4.30pm.

If those locations are not accessible, then the Newcastle City housing unit is at Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne. NE1 8PD. Call 0191 277 1438.