The Rent Deposit Scheme - one off payment to help you rent a home

If you are already homeless or at serious risk of becoming homeless, the Council operates a scheme where we provide one month rental payment as a deposit on a home.

You will be able to say (within reason) which area of Luton you would like to live in, for example to fit in with existing school catchment areas, existing family and community groups.

How do I qualify?

Some of the guidelines are as follows:

• you should be over 18, unless you have a guarantor and the landlord is agreeable
• you should not have any outstanding debts to the Council
• you should have lived or worked (but not on a casual basis) in Luton for at least six of the last 12 months
• you should not have made yourself homeless as a result of carrying out an act of domestic abuse, or have been violent or abusive to members of the Council
• you should not own another home elsewhere

Single people and family groups both qualify for the scheme. We will also need to make checks on your income and expenditure before awarding the grant, as those with savings higher than the level needed for a month’s deposit will not qualify.

How do I apply?

The first step is to see one of the Council’s housing advisers in the Town Hall. This is a drop in service, so please attend at any time between 8.30am-5.30pm Monday to Friday. They will need to make sure that you are at risk of homelessness and that you do not have the required amount for one month’s deposit through your own savings.

If you do qualify we will help you put together an application and discuss any specific needs you have. If you have not already found a property you’d like to rent, the Council can help you find one.

We will pay the landlord up to the local Housing Allowance rate (housing benefit) for the size of property. The Council understands that if you are being threatened with homelessness it is necessary to act quickly. It aims to process all applications within five days, but sometimes it can take up to 10 days.

Items to bring to your interview

If you are meeting a Housing Adviser, bringing the following items will help speed up your application:

• proof of identification (passport, birth certificate, driving licence with photo ID)
• proof of address
• proof of income and/or benefits
• two passport pictures
• copies of any notices you have been served