Housing association offers vulnerable tenants financial advice

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities

A social housing and regeneration organisation is piloting a free money advice service for its tenants.

Riverside, which owns or manages around 50,000 houses, has designated three new advisors to contact vulnerable tenants and offer money or welfare benefits advice. 

Riverside’s financial inclusion officer Laura Bostock said:  “This is the first time we have proactively contacted tenants who we know are in danger of slipping into serious debt to offer them advice.

“We already have money advisors working within our divisions nationwide, but people do need to seek out their services. 

“Our new advisors will reach people who may not be aware that they could potentially lose their home if they don’t tackle rent arrears.  There is help available, either through better money management, access to welfare benefits, or referral to other specialist services.”

Based in Riverside’s customer service centre in Merseyside, the advisors will initially be contacting tenants who are in rent arrears and who are not in receipt of housing benefit.

They also be focusing on tenants who may fall victim to the Government’s ‘bedroom tax’ that is due to arrive in April 2013. Under the tax, tenants who have spare bedrooms risk cuts to their benefits if they do not move to a smaller property.

The call centre money advisors are working alongside colleagues based in local offices who will be carrying out home visits for tenants not accessible by phone.

Ms Bostock added:  “We will be monitoring the service and if it proves successful we will roll it out across the country.  This is just one project aimed at reducing the negative impact of the welfare benefits changes introduced by this government. 

If too many of our tenants fall into rent arrears, as a result of welfare benefit cuts or changes, the impact on social housing providers could be catastrophic, seriously impeding our ability to build new homes or invest in neighbourhood services.”