Rent Deposit Scheme

What is the Rent Deposit Scheme?

Good quality accommodation is available throughout the Huntingdonshire district within the private rented sector. However, most landlords or letting agents will require the first month’s rent up front and a deposit against any breakages, damage or rent arrears at the end of the tenancy.

We understand the funds for private rented properties can be difficult to find, particularly if you are facing housing-related struggles. As such, we introduced the Rental Deposit Scheme to assist those who meet the criteria under “Who can apply?”.

If you qualify for the scheme, we may be able to assist you with a loan towards the deposit and the rent required for your chosen property.

The loan is interest-free and is payable in instalments over 12, 18 or 24 months, depending on your financial circumstances.

Tenancy deposit protection

Landlords accepting a deposit from a tenant must place the deposit in a government-backed tenancy deposit scheme.

View more information on the tenancy deposit protection scheme.

Holding Fees/Registering your interest with the agent/landlord

Please be advised that we are unable to pay a Holding Fee to secure the property on your behalf whilst your application is being processed. It is at your discretion whether you pay the holding fee to secure the property whilst awaiting the application. If you choose not to pay a holding fee, you should still register your interest with the agents and make them aware you are requesting our assistance.

Please note, if you choose not to pay a holding fee, this is at your own risk as the property may be secured by another prospective tenant during the period we are processing your application. 

Who can apply?

You can apply to the Rent Deposit Scheme if you are currently homeless or under the threat of homelessness and:

• you live in Huntingdonshire District, or have a local connection to the area

• have a low income and insufficient savings

• do not have any unaddressed debt with the council (including, but not exclusive to: council tax arrears, fines or housing debt)

• have not been declared bankrupt

• do not own a property anywhere in the world.

What do I need to know or do before I apply? 

Before you apply to the Rent Deposit Scheme, you should know:

• the property must be a private rented property. We cannot support with properties via Home-Link, registered providers of social housing or supported accommodation

• the council is unable to act as a guarantor for a property

• the loan is not guaranteed; arrangements should not be made to move in until a decision has been made

• the council can only pay the funds directly to the landlord or agent

• the council cannot process an application retrospectively. If you have already moved in, the application will be refused as ineligible. 

Before you apply to the Rent Deposit Scheme, you should do the following:

• view the property and register your interest with the landlord or letting agent

• make the landlord or letting agent aware you are seeking our financial support

• gather all your evidence (listed below) to email across once your application has been completed. 

How to apply?

Please ensure, where possible, you have your evidence ready to submit along with your application. You will need to provide:

• ID for all applicants and members of the household

• proof of income for all applicants (2 months, 5 fortnightly or 8 weekly wage slips, or up-to-date benefit letters. If you are on Universal Credit the last 2 months' UC statements)

• last 2 months' bank statements for all applicants for ALL accounts in your name(s) including joint accounts, savings, ISAs or children's accounts

• proof of your current address

• proof of homelessness

• proof of pregnancy (if applicable)

• if you have Settled or Pre-Settled Status, or a pending application with the EU Settlement Scheme, you will need to provide your Share Code – please choose the “something else” option on the government website when applying. We CANNOT access Share Codes for Right to Rent or Right to Work checks.

Please submit your evidence as soon as possible after application to housingassistants@huntingdonshire.gov.uk 

We use electronic scanners to check and verify identity documents from all customers applying to access council services. We will scan documents with a product called Trust ID

What happens when we process your application?

When processing your application, we will be looking at your financial situation and whether the tenancy AND loan are affordable. We may run a benefit calculation if we feel this is needed. The results of this calculation are purely an estimate, and it does not guarantee that you will be entitled to that amount.

We will also complete a credit check to understand your financial commitments. Please be advised, if you are subject to an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA), you will be required to seek permission (in writing) from your Insolvency Practitioner before we can process the application. We will need a copy of this for our records.

Unfortunately, not everyone who applies to the scheme will be approved for a loan. This could be because the tenancy has been deemed unaffordable following the financial assessment, you have not provided the information required, or contact has been lost. In some cases, our budget may be running low, which means we will have to prioritise applications received and may have to close the scheme from time to time. If this is likely to happen, we will always let you know at the earliest possible stage.