Project type: Reports

Download the report here.

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.

Download the report here.

Download the report.

The Covid Private Renters Project aims to tackle rising housing insecurity and evictions of renters in the private sector. Using wraparound, holistic support that has been the hallmark of Kineara’s services, the project aimed to provide advice and support to low-income renters facing a threat of eviction. It is modelled on Kineara’s intensive Rent Support Programme which had been delivered with successful outcomes to social sector tenants between 2012 and 2016.

When the Covid 19 pandemic began in early 2020, we wanted to respond to the possible impact of both the pandemic and the restrictions on those already most economically and socially vulnerable. We also became concerned, as did many across the housing sector, that the Government’s moratorium on evictions, announced in March 2020,would end in September that year with a flood of possession notices for renters whose incomes had been affected by the pandemic or who otherwise had been unable to keep up with rent.

This evaluation is an opportunity to share progress, outcomes and learnings so far, along with case studies and future plans for the project. With thanks to our partners, Southwark Law Centre, Southwark Council’s Private Rented Sector Team and Impact on Urban Health.

Download the report.

Since November 2020, we have been supporting private renters in Southwark to avoid eviction and overcome barriers to housing stability. The Covid Private Renters Project is based on our Rent Support Programme Plus and was developed to offer immediate, intensive support to renters facing eviction or insecure tenancies. We have proudly partnered with Southwark Law Centre to provide both legal, practical and emotional support services, working alongside Southwark Council’s Private Rented Sector Team’s housing officers to make sure no households in Southwark are pushed into homelessness.

Our half way review, written in March, is our opportunity to share progress, insights, learnings, and future plans for the project. With thanks to Impact on Urban Health for providing the funding for this work.