Help with Rent in Advance and Deposits
If you need help with rent in advance or a deposit for a property, we may be able to help you.
If you have found a property you would like to rent
If you have found a property you would like to rent, you should speak to the agent first to see if you would be considered for the property. You should consider whether the property is suitable and affordable for you and your household.
- Do you have enough income to afford the property?
- is it the right number of bedrooms for your family size?
- Do you need a guarantor/have you got a guarantor? Wolverhampton Homes will not act as a guarantor
Affordability
If you claim Universal Credit or Housing Benefit towards the rental costs, the current Local Housing Allowance (LHA) would be paid from these benefits towards the rent. The current rates can be found here https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/benefits/housing-benefit-and-council-tax-reduction/local-housing-allowance-rates
If the rent is higher than the LHA rate you would be expected to meet this cost from your own income, including any employment or other benefits.
If you are single and under 35 years old, you will only be eligible for the shared room rate, even if the property you are looking to rent is a 1 bed property and not shared accommodation.
What we need
The agent / landlord to allow us to inspect the property to ensure it meets housing standards. You should agree this with them before applying.
We will need a contact name and telephone number to arrange to inspect the property.
We will need proof of your income and expenditure to ensure the property is affordable for you.
What we offer
Most private landlords will ask for rent in advance before you move into a tenancy, the amount of rent in advance landlords ask for can vary. We may pay all of the rent in advance required or we may contribute towards it. Rent in advance is a payment made directly to the landlord or agent.
Some landlords may ask for a deposit for a tenancy, usually this is a payment made to the landlord to cover any damage or missed rent payments at the end of your tenancy.
Wolverhampton Homes offer a bond scheme instead of a deposit. This is a cashless deposit bond, which is a written contract between Wolverhampton Homes and the Landlord to cover to the value of the deposit any costs incurred at the end of the tenancy. The landlord must agree to the bond instead of the usual cash deposit. If we agree a bond for you and at the end of the tenancy there are changes, we will recover these costs from you.
How to apply
We are unable to help you if you have already moved into the property or have signed a tenancy agreement before we have agreed to help you. We cannot reimburse you if you have already paid a deposit or rent in advance. We are also unable to inspect a property after you have moved in.
If you already have a homeless application and would like to apply for rent in advance or a bond, then please contact your caseworker with the details above.
If you do not have a current homeless application but you are risk of homelessness or are already homeless then you can contact us. We will need to complete an assessment to consider whether we owe a duty to help you. If we do, we can refer you for rent in advance or a bond.