What is the PPP

Joint Project between Southwark Law Centre and Blackfriars Advice Centre

Aim to reduce the number of evictions and homelessness by early intervention & policy work.

Funded by the Legal Services Commission for 3 years.

Covers the borough of Southwark

Early intervention

Identifying who tenants first contact when they have a housing problem.

Local knowledge

County Court survey

Direct contact with tenants

BME agencies

Keeping an open mind

Early intervention

Providing training to organisations in Housing law.

To date over 44 agencies trained

Over 110 individuals

Including the CAB, Credit Union, Multi-cultural agencies and more

Early intervention

First training course concentrated on Council tenancies (Secure/Introductory & Non-secure)

Focused on immediate steps to take at various stages of the eviction process.

Effective referrals.

2nd tier advice

Encouraging court attendance by tenants Southwark Housing Lawyers Group

Early intervention

The second wave of training is on Private tenancies (Assured, Assured Shorthold, Rent Act & Non-Secure Tenancies).

Consider immediate steps to take.

Build upon effective referrals.

Improve and monitor 2nd tier advice

Court attendance

Early intervention

2nd Tier advice

Agencies appreciate that their knowledge is limited.

Encouraged to contact Southwark Law Centre for telephone advice.

PPP now considering supervision of agencies case work.

PPP considering keeping workshops where agencies can discuss problematic cases.

Early intervention

Effective referrals and SHLG

What is SHLG.

Why was it needed.

How has it helped referrals

Wider implications of SHLG

Policy work

National Level

• Promote ODPM research and guidance

• Promote national research into causes of rent arrears and social costs of homelessness.

• Encourage best practice guidance on rent arrears.

• Provide consolidated response to Civil Justice Council’s consultation on the rent arrears protocol.

Policy work

Local Level

Engaging with other voluntary sector organisation.

Making and sustaining contact with key members in the Local Authority.

Rent Income teamHousing Benefit managersHomelessness services

Policy work

Local Level

PPP Good Practice Report for rent arrears management.

Direct Deductions from Benefit.

Tolerated trespasser

Standard letters re: rent arrears

Policy work

Housing Benefit issues and rent arrears

SHLG participating in Policy issues

Liaison with Local County Court

Promoting the Duty Solicitor Scheme

Contributing to the Homelessness Strategy

Next steps

Continue to train agencies in housing law

Provide supervision of these agencies

Provide workshops for these agencies

Promote 2nd tier advice

Next steps

Increase referrals

More focus on the causes of rent arrears

Develop policies with Housing

Association and Private landlords

Next steps

Monitor the effects of policy initiatives

Monitor the effects of training

Secure funding for the PPP

Examine becoming self funding

Consider cross borough projects

Examine national training strategy