The Home Choice Scheme provides people who may be homeless with the opportunity to move into a home of their choice in the private sector to avoid homelessness and a lengthy stay in temporary accommodation.
We introduce families to private landlords and work closely with both parties to make sure the move into private accommodation runs smoothly.
If you are relying on housing benefit, whether partial or full, this is unlikely to cover the rental amount of properties within Oxford City and you may need to look further away, at least to Oxfordshire, to find an affordable property.
Landlord Incentives
We offer landlords incentives to make the whole process as smooth as possible.
- No Fees, No Obligations: We do not charge fees and you have no obligation to accept any potential tenants we refer to you. We strive to match potential tenants to the properties they want, as we believe that happy tenants will be good tenants.
- Rent in advance: We can offer rent in advance.
- Finder's fee: As a thank you we would pay you a finder€'s fee.
- Cash or Bond Deposits: We can offer either a cash deposit, or a guaranteed Bond underwritten by us. The advantage of a Bond is that it does not have to be registered under the Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme, which can be both costly and time-consuming in the event of a dispute.
- Dedicated and Helpful Staff: We have a team of qualified staff who specialise in different areas of expertise.
- Tenancy Agreements: We have our own legally drafted tenancy agreement which can be produced quickly and accurately.
- Legal Advice: We have a Legal Executive in the team who is happy to give, free practical advice on all issues relating to tenancy matters, including, if required, terminating a tenancy.
- Fast Turnaround of Properties: Due to the diverse nature of our client base, we are always looking for a wide variety of properties in all areas of Oxford and the surrounding areas. We can supply potential tenants very quickly, minimising costly void periods. If you have properties that are hard to let, we may have a potential tenant for you.
- Housing Benefit Payments made Quickly and Directly to Landlords: We have a strong and positive working relationship with Housing Benefits. As well as an extensive working knowledge of the legislation, we also have a dedicated Housing Benefit assessor who gets Benefits assessed and paid quickly. We can also offer Housing Benefit payment direct to landlords, which is not automatic to tenants who aren't supported by the scheme.
- Universal Credit: If clients receive Universal Credit we can offer support to ensure that rent is paid on time.
- Continued Tenancy Support: Our team are always available to sort out any issues that may arise during the tenancy. We aim to provide settled, happy family housing to our tenants and aim to deliver long term and hassle free tenancies.
More information
If you are homeless or concerned about the possibility of losing your home, it is extremely important that you seek advice at the earliest opportunity, please see If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
Our Home Choice guides include a guide for tenants, a guide for landlords and a landlords FAQ. Download the Home Choice Scheme guides
