Landlords

• 1-4 bedrooms

• Self-contained

• Available for at least 24 months

• Furnished or unfurnished

• Accessible by public transport (ideally)

You will receive rent according to Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates. For example, the rate for a 3-bedroom house in Sevenoaks is £1130 pcm and for one in Swanley it's £1050 pcm. These rates are under review and are expected to be increased in April ‘24.  

Some incentive payments may be available to landlords. 

• The terms of the tenancy agreement are similar to a normal private tenancy agreement

• It is between the landlord and the family

• For a minimum period of two years

• Rental is paid monthly in advance at the beginning of each month

• Rent is paid by the refugee family to the landlord or his/her agent. In some cases the rent may be paid by Sevenoaks District Council directly to the landlord

• Rent is paid to the landlord from when the property has been approved for use by SDC and a tenant family has been identified (by Kent County Council’s Resettlement Team) 

These schemes are for refugees who have been identified as vulnerable by the UK Government, often working together with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. In 2020 the government amalgamated all its refugee resettlement programmes into one, called the Global Resettlement Scheme (GRS) Anyone coming to resettle in the area under the scheme will be closely supported. 

The scheme will be:

• Targeted:  at vulnerable refugees, through the government scheme

• Limited:  using private landlords ensures social housing is not impacted for local families

• Safe:  refugees will be screened by the Home Office, as well as the UN

• Urgent:  directed at vulnerable families, especially women and children at risk

• Integrated:  refugees will be supported by various groups

As with a normal private tenancy agreement, a cash deposit of up to 6 weeks rent is provided (along with one month's rent in advance). The cash deposit has to be registered with one of the approved protection schemes and a claim for any damages (at the end of the tenancy) would be submitted via the protection scheme.