Welcome to the Rent Deposit Guarantee Schemes Tenants Page. Below you will find a list of Frequently Asked Question's regarding the DiGS scheme. Click on a question to view details.
What is the Deposit Guarantee Scheme? The scheme, managed by the Community Housing Advocacy Project (CHAP) and jointly funded by East Ayrshire Council and Ayrshire & Arran NHS, provides the "guarantee" of a deposit, payable to the landlord if the tenancy ends within 12 months from entry to a Private Let Tenancy if any loss or damage is incurred. The deposit enables those on a low income and unable to raise a deposit on their own to access the private sector. Back to top The scheme has been developed to assist those who are:-
All applicants to the scheme will be interviewed by DiGS staff and asked to complete a detailed application form. Applicants will also be requested to provide two references. This would ideally be a previous landlord, employer or a professional person who knows you well. However, the landlord would have the final decision on whether to accept a client for his / her property. Back to top How much is the deposit guarantee? The deposit is equal to the lowest amount between the Local Housing Allowance allocation for the property size or the landlords asking rent per calendar month. A pre-tenancy determination form is no longer required. As from April 7th 2008 the government are introducing LHA (Local Housing Allowance). This will replace the need for a Pre-tenancy Determination as the LHA will be the identified Fair Rent for the property set by East Ayrshire Council. This LHA allocation will be paid direct to the tenant with any new claim or any break in the existing claim after 7th April 2008, where DiGS have no concerns regarding the tenants ability to sustain their tenancy, however where DiGS have concerns the LHA allocation for the rent of the property may be overridden and paid direct to the landlord for a set period of time which will be reviewed at times stated by Housing Benefit. Back to top How long is the guarantee in place for? This will vary from between 6 and 12 months dependant on the tenant's personal circumstances and their eligibility for Housing Benefit. (If the tenants circumstances change and they are not entitled to any Housing Benefit then the guarantee will be withdrawn),their support needs and the duration of the tenancy agreement. During this time we would be expecting that tenants could pay half of the guaranteed amount in the first 6 months and the remainder within 12 months. Tenants would be encouraged to save on a regular basis through a savings account arranged by DiGS with the Clydesdale Bank. What is covered by the guarantee? The deposit guarantee would cover loss or damage to the property or any items on the inventory caused by the tenant or their visitors. This would exclude any damage caused by "fair wear and tear". The guarantee also covers any loss of rent up to the agreed value of the deposit. Back to top What will not be covered by the guarantee? It will not cover:
How will the scheme be managed / staffed? The scheme will be managed by the DiGS co-ordinator and the DiGS Officer. Additional housing support will be provided by the established East Ayrshire Council Tenancy Support Team. Housing support will include assistance with tasks such as form filling, accessing benefits, budgeting and home making skills. Support needs of the tenant will be assessed by the co-ordinator. Support will be encouraged, but is not compulsory. Landlords may be more accommodating where support is being offered and may otherwise refuse a tenants application. Back to top How will tenants be matched up to properties? We will be developing two databases. One will be for potential tenants and the other for available properties. As and when a landlord has a property available they will notify us and we will update this information. We hope in this way we are able to match the landlord up with a tenant within a relatively short period of time. Back to top Yes. If you find a property that you would like to rent you can contact the landlord direct. You can also advise us and we can contact them on your behalf and provide details of the deposit scheme. Back to top Are all landlords able to access the scheme? All landlords can access the scheme as long as they are registered with East Ayrshire Council and the DiGS scheme. All landlord registration numbers provided by EAC are verified by the DiGS co-ordinator prior to the properties being utilised within the DiGS scheme. This is to ensure all landlords who are involved within DiGS meet a range of good practice criteria to be involved in the scheme. This would include things like providing a written tenancy agreement, giving notice before visiting the property and ensuring that Health & Safety standards are met. Back to top What happens at the beginning of the tenancy? After ensuring the landlord and the identified property are registered with East Ayrshire Council and the DiGS scheme and a Pre-property inspection list is complete for the property wishing to be used. DiGS staff will verify landlord responses and ensure that it meets the relevant standards. An entry date will be agreed. On the date of entry the tenant, DiGS staff and the landlord will be present. At this stage the inventory and other documents will be completed along with the tenancy agreement and AT5. The DiGS team will complete and submit all information to Housing Benefit including any gathered information required for LHA to be paid direct to the landlord. After the tenant has moved in DiGS staff will call on the tenant and complete an evaluation form on the service. Support is ongoing during the duration of the 12 month guarantee period with any queries or problems that may arise. In addition if the tenant has accepted housing support they will be visited on a more frequent basis by their identified support worker. What happens at the end of the tenancy? As mentioned, an inventory and an inspection checklist would be drawn up for each tenancy. At the end of the tenancy if the deposit guaranteee is still active (within 12 months) it is anticipated that the landlord, DiGS staff and the tenant would jointly inspect the tenancy and agree on any amount of deposit being claimed. A meeting would be also arranged with DiGS, the landlord and the tenant 4 months into the agreement to discuss the progression of the tenancy. This would also allow 2 months notice to be given on either side where required. Back to top Do I need to do anything else? There are a number of conditions in place that the tenant has to meet in order to access the scheme. They must agree to:
Can tenants use the scheme more than once? Tenants are able to access the scheme on more than one occasion. However, those using the scheme a second time are refused assistance if they have stolen or caused damage at the previous address or are in debt to the Council in respect of the first guarantee. Back to top What are the benefits for tenants? There are numerous benefits for tenants:
How can I find out more about the scheme? You can contact DiGS staff who can offer any further information or advice required. Tracey Tait Tel: 07939073695 E-mail: digs@chap.org.uk
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