A city council and university are setting up their own ‘social letting initiative’ to refer tenants students and tenants direct to landlords.

The social lettings service is a venture between landlords, Brighton and Hove City Council and the University of Brighton.

The council and university decided to team up when they realised they were vying with each other for private rental properties.

Landlords who sign up to the scheme are offered lengthy contracts, rent guarantees and managed lettings in return for better property standards and help with curbing antisocial behaviour.

Councillor Maria Caulfield, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “We want thriving communities where families and students live happily side by side. Students offer huge benefits to the city both economically and culturally. To ensure harmonious neighbourhoods we aim to prevent tensions between students and residents caused by serious issues such as noise and litter.

“This strategy is designed to do just that and it represents good value for money for everyone. Additional licensing of smaller HMOs is intended to improve conditions for occupiers and ensure landlords engage more actively in terms of enforcing tenancy conditions because of anti social behaviour.”

Through the scheme, social housing tenants and students can look for homes –Brighton has an estimated 15,000 houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) serving a student population of around 34,000.

Julie Barker, Head of Residential and Catering Services at the University of Brighton, said: “Through the ongoing work between ourselves and the Council it became apparent that we were both competing for the same landlords in the city.

“Joining forces and bringing together the resources and the expertise of teams both within the Council and the University will bring mutual benefits not just to both organisations but also benefits to the City with a more coherent approach to student housing. This progressive development also responds to the recommendations of the City wide Student Housing Strategy.’’

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