Capital Letters open for business with launch of new website on World Homeless Day

Capital Letters open for business with launch of new website on #WorldHomelessDay

10th October 2019

Capital Letters – the new organisation to prevent and relieve homelessness across London – is delighted to announce the launch of its new website on World Homeless Day, making it very definitely open for business.

The company was set up by 13 London boroughs with support from the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, to speed up the procurement of rental accommodation for homeless households, ensuring a better experience for those affected.

In the three months since Capital Letters’ first employee – chief executive officer Sue Coulson – was appointed, this start-up company has been actively gearing up to deliver on its mission.

Housing negotiators have been seconded from the London boroughs of Brent, Croydon, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Redbridge and Waltham Forest, with others set to join over the next few weeks. The Executive Team is also in post, along with a growing team of housing management, HR, PR and office support staff.

As well as the secondees, Capital Letters is actively recruiting a significant number of housing negotiators of its own, with the first already in post. All the team are proactively finding much needed homes for homeless households across London.

Crucially, Capital Letters will be placing homeless households as close to their home borough and support networks as possible to prevent social isolation, job loss and children having to change schools. A new tenancy support service is also being established to ensure tenants are given the help they need to sustain their tenancy in the long term and landlords are supported throughout.

Capital Letters has chosen #WorldHomelessDay to launch this website to draw attention to homeless people’s needs locally.

Chief executive officer, Sue Coulson, said: “We are a crucial part of the jigsaw to prevent homelessness and to improve the lives of homeless households across London. The work we do is essential to strengthening communities and supporting sustainable tenancies.

“Over the next three years we will be placing 20,000 homeless households in quality rented accommodation that is close to their families, jobs, schools and support networks, helping them to maintain their community ties and provide safe, secure homes.

“We would be delighted to hear from any landlords or managing agents who have properties available as we are ready to take them on.”

Note to editors:

Capital Letters is owned by the 13 London boroughs who set it up and supported by £38m of grant funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

As a social purpose housing company, limited by guarantee, it was set up to procure and manage accommodation from private landlords and managing agents to prevent and alleviate homelessness across the capital, as well as ensuring a better experience for those affected.

The launch of Capital Letters was co-ordinated by the umbrella body London Councils and the London Housing Directors’ Group and represents a significant step forward for the boroughs’ collaborative approach to tackling homelessness. The scheme is one of London Councils’ Pledges to Londoners, a series of pan-London priorities that borough leaders aim to make progress on over the next three years.

For further information contact: Communications adviser Marina Pirotta on 07980 571886

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