Friday, 6th September, 2019

In a new bid to tackle homelessness, Extern is issuing an urgent callout to landlords and property owners across Northern Ireland to let their properties to the organisation for a period of up to eight years.

In return, the charity, which is an experienced and award-winning landlord, will ensure each property is fully let and expertly maintained. Extern will also select and support the tenant and fully manage each tenancy for the period of the lease, enabling individuals and families to move on from homelessness and once again have a place to call their own. Where appropriate, the charity may also be able to carry out some refurbishment work on properties, if necessary, in order to bring them up to a suitable standard.

Extern is looking for properties across Northern Ireland, but is especially keen to hear from property owners in the Belfast, Omagh, Enniskillen and North Down & Ards areas

The callout is the next phase in the charity’s award-winning Extern Homes scheme, which was created in 2016. The first phase of the project saw Extern purchase properties and offer two year supported tenancies to individuals and families so they did not have to remain stuck in homelessness hostels, despite being ready to move on with their lives.

Now Extern Homes is embarking on a new letting model in order to be able to access more properties to help more people.

Extern is asking property owners who may have a house or apartment that is currently vacant, including properties which may need some refurbishment work in order to make it suitable for letting, to get in touch with them.

 Part of the next stage of the project has a focus on preventing homelessness among young people and has been made possible thanks to a grant from from LandAid, the property industry charity.

 Explaining more about the new opportunity, Declan Morris, manager of Extern Homes, said: “This is a unique opportunity for property owners to do a great deal of good in helping to tackle the homelessness problem here, while also ensuring that their property remains financially sustainable, well-looked after and properly maintained to a high standard.

 “Extern Homes is an award-winning project which has a proven track record of helping people to successfully move from homelessness to homes. We urgently need help to be able to expand our work in this field, and that’s why we are looking for landlords or property owners who may have somewhere suitable to get in touch.

Charlie Mack, Extern’s CEO, added: “Extern Homes has been a real success story for our organisation and has genuinely transformed the lives of many people for the better.

Sadly, homelessness continues to be a problem which blights the lives of so many, and that’s why new schemes like this are more important than ever in giving people the stability and security of a place to call home. We are keen to hear from anyone who would like to be part of this fantastic opportunity.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the opportunity on offer as part of the Extern Homes project should contact [email protected] or tel: +44 (0)28 9084 0555

You can also find out more about Extern Homes at www.extern.org/extern-homes