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The Southwark Private Renters Project (previously Covid Private Renters Project) has continued to support renters in the borough with holistic, legal and wellbeing support across the last year, building on the success of our pilot year. We’ve supported 75 households this year to access new housing that is affordable for them, sustain tenancies where possible, address financial hardship and maximise incomes, address food, furniture, fuel and digital poverty, arrange viewings and support setting up new tenancies.
Working within our holistic model, we aim to improve health and wellbeing in renters in Southwark by addressing housing insecurity and we are working in a context of rising eviction rates, rising rents and frozen housing benefits. Since 2021, there’s been a 160% increase in landlords applying to the courts for possession orders and a 164% increase in possession orders made nationwide. There is growing concern that this will lead in itself to not only more homelessness, but a serious public health crisis too.
85% of the renters we’ve supported have avoided homelessness, either staying in their tenancy or moving into a new affordable property with our support. You can read more about the impact we’ve had in the full report.
Thanks to our partners in Southwark Law Centre and Southwark Council, and to our funders Impact on Urban Heath.