For Councils

In Partnership with Local Authorities

Orchard & Shipman’s Community Housing department offers local authorities unique partnering opportunities to procure and manage properties from the Private Sector for use as temporary accommodation for homeless families.

Funded through Housing Benefit subsidy Orchard & Shipman look to underwrite the cost of dilapidations and rent arrears thereby enabling the Local Authority to budget for a known cost.

Our property management teams are specially trained to deal sensitively with tenants who may be vulnerable or have special needs.   

Download the following PDF (Right) for more information or contact:

Andrew Morrison

City of Edinburgh Council

The City of Edinburgh Council faced an all too familiar problem – rising numbers of homeless presentations, lengthening housing waiting lists, increasing costs of B&B accommodation and a steadily diminishing housing stock due to the effects of Right to Buy and demolition. A Private Sector Leasing Contract for a target of 1,500 properties was won by Orchard & Shipman in August 2005.

Within just five months, over 200 properties had been procured at an average lease length of 4.6 years. Orchard & Shipman have negotiated rents at 16.3% below indicative rent levels, generating substantial cost savings to the public purse. Additionally, the Council asked for the properties to be spread across the city – properties have been procured in 50 out of the 58 electoral wards.

Satisfaction ratings are very high from the Council as well as landlords and tenants. Rigorous targets for the levels of neighbour nuisance, rent arrears and tenant dilapidations are all being met. Community Housing enjoy an excellent partner working relationship with The City of Edinburgh Council.

London Borough of Hillingdon

With Heathrow airport within its boundaries the London Borough of Hillingdon is one of the main gateways to inward immigration to the UK and as such has an untypically diverse client group. The demands on housing and related services are probably one of the most demanding and complex within the UK.

Commencing in August 2002, the private sector leasing contract with the London Borough of Hillingdon was one of the first contracts of its kind to utilise Housing Benefit subsidy to fund the provision and management of properties in the private sector and effectively end the use of B&B accommodation.

Working with Orchard & Shipman the London Borough of Hillingdon was able to get all families with children out of Bed & Breakfast by April 2003 - One year in advance of the national target set by the ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister).