Home   News   Article

Local authority turn to private landlords and Airbnb hosts for help with homelessness crisis





Highland Council is hoping that private landlords and providers of short-term lets, including Airbnb hosts, can help tackle homelessness by leasing their properties.

Councillor Ben Thompson
Councillor Ben Thompson

The chairman of the housing and property committee, Councillor Ben Thompson, said: “The Covid-19 outbreak has affected all aspects of our daily lives and we have seen increased pressure on our homelessness service, including demand from the loss of tied accommodation in the hotel industry. The current situation is making it extremely difficult for us to provide suitable accommodation for people who are homeless at this difficult time.

“We know that private landlords and providers of short-term lets across the Highlands are being hit hard by coronavirus in terms of reduced bookings. We are encouraging anyone in such a position to consider temporarily leasing their property to the council.

"Not only will this ensure that the property owner is able to maintain a regular cash flow alongside the guaranteed management of the property for a negotiated period, but they will also be helping their community and supporting our response to this crisis.”

Housing staff are interested in speaking to landlords and owners who have a self-contained property, without shared facilities, and subject to set minimum standards. Any households placed in accommodation will continue to be provided with ongoing support by the council.

Further information on the council’s Residential Leasing Scheme is available on its website.

If you are a former Airbnb host, and are interested in renting your property on a short-term lease basis to Highland Council during the current crisis, call 01349 886602 for further information.

Click here for more news


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More