Private landlords

Housing is central to the quality of life in our communities, to the economy and to the environment. The private rented sector plays an important part in successful housing markets and is an important tenure of choice for those not seeking home ownership. It offers convenience, flexibility, and accessibility.

Maidstone Borough Council is committed to ensuring that the private rented sector is well run and is strong. Please see below for more information about what the council currently provides for landlords in Maidstone.

Rend Deposit Bond Scheme

Maidstone Borough Council's Bond Scheme aims to help private landlords, letting agents and tenants by providing a financial guarantee to enable landlords to enter into tenancy agreements with a wide range of prospective tenants who may not meet landlords' usual letting criteria.

The Bond is a legally binding agreement between the council and the landlord in place of a deposit. The scheme aims to provide the same level of security for landlords when taking on a new tenant but as there is no deposit, this avoids the need for the landlord to protect a deposit as required by law.

We are currently running a survey to help improve the Rent Deposit Bond Scheme (see below)

Improving our service to you is important to us. To help us provide a service you want, please could you take the time to complete the survey below, so that the Bond Scheme can be best adapted and improved to meet your needs as a landlord.

For lettings agents:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RentDepositBondSchemeForLettingAgents

For landlords:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RentDepositBondSchemeForLandlords

Your responses are crucial in developing a successful and thriving service.

Are you looking to rent your property to the council?

Although the council doesn't directly lease properties, we have an arrangement with the Avenue Lettings company to provide this service. If your would like to find out more about letting your property through a professional housing organisation you can obtain more information by following this link Avenue Lettings or by calling either 0845 064 4000 or 01795 434 558.

Grants for landlords

The council’s landlords grant is now available. The current criteria are 50% grant up to £10,000 which is repayable on sale of the property. To apply for the grant please contact us as a visit will be required to the property to see the property before works commence.

Landlord grant procedure

Landlord grant conditions

Grants for tenants

Grants of up to £3,500 are available to install heating and insulation in badly heated and insulated homes. The private tenant must be in receipt of pension credit or income-related employment and support allowance with certain restrictions.

Alternatively the tenant must be in receipt of income support, income based job seekers allowance, or income-related employment and support allowance in the assessment phase and have a pension premium, a disability / severe disability premium, child tax credit with disability / severe disability element, or a child under 5 living with them.

The tenant must call Warmfront on 0800 316 2805 to apply.

Housing benefit / Local housing allowance

For more information please see our Housing benefit pages for more information.

Houses in multiple occupation

The council has minimum standards for Houses in multiple occupation (properties occupied by two or more households and three or more people) and also runs the mandatory licensing scheme which applies to properties of three floors and occupied by five or more people.

Please see our Houses in multiple occupation pages for more information.

Housing standards

Maidstone Borough Council regulates the private rented sector to ensure that accommodation provided contains no serious hazards under the Housing health & safety rating system. Visits are undertaken following requests for advice by tenants, complaints from members of the public or third parties to ensure that properties meet the minimum requirements e.g. heating.

For more information read the housing standards booklet and the housing health & safety rating system leaflets below.

Maidstone Landlord Forum

The next landlord’s forum is to be held on (date to be announced).

Landlord accreditation scheme

Landlords have had a bad press in the past, the good landlords being tarred with the same brush as the bad. To help improve this situation and to provide help and information to Landlords, Maidstone Borough Council has joined forces with other local authorities in Kent to introduce the Kent Landlord Accreditation scheme.

The scheme is voluntary and is open to all landlords or prospective landlords. Landlords who stick to the standards of the scheme are accredited and recognised across Kent and London as good landlords.

Benefits include:

- Recognition that you are a good landlord / agent

- Access to increased levels of grants to improve your properties

- Learn about key issues of property management and managing a tenancy

- Receive a comprehensive reference manual

- Have access to the latest, up-to-date information via the website

- Affiliated to the London Landlord Accreditation Scheme

For more information see Kent Landlord Accreditation Scheme leaflet or visit London Landlords

To see the next course dates visit London Landlords