New contractor for home lease scheme

A NEW company has been appointed to run a scheme that helps people on the brink of homelessness get a home.

The city council has given its "private sector leasing" contract to Link Group. The scheme, previously operated by Orchard & Shipman, offers long-term contracts to private landlords whose properties are then let by the council to people who are categorised as homeless or in housing need.

When the scheme was launched in 2005 it was the first of its kind in Scotland and since then has successfully provided support to more than 4000 people through a network of 1600 properties.

Councillor Paul Edie, the city's housing leader, said: "We have made great strides in tackling homelessness in Edinburgh by working with our partners in the police, voluntary and health sectors and through innovative schemes like PSL.

"The number of people presenting themselves as homeless to the council has consistently fallen over the last few years. Schemes like PSL, where we work with private landlords to free up housing in the private rented market to those people who need it most, is paying dividends."