Link starts for residents at risk

A free service to match up people who face losing their home with private landlords has been launched by a council in a Sussex town.

The Letstart scheme has been introduced by Hastings Borough Council to "tap into the huge resource" of privately-owned flats and houses to rent.

Organisers hope the free service will help reduce the housing waiting list, which includes about 2,000 people.

The council will carry out for free the checks normally done by letting agents.

Councillor Peter Finch, the borough's lead member for housing, said: "This service helps those people at risk of homelessness and also helps landlord's wanting to rent out their property.

"Tenants can be assured that the property they rent will be up to the decent homes standard and landlords have the security of a bond as deposit equivalent to a month's rent in the event of any losses.

"In this period of economic slow down and with repossessions creeping up, renting is becoming a much more popular choice on both sides of the fence."