Social enterprise to buy up to 50 Glasgow properties for those struggling to find a home

Scotland’s first social enterprise lettings agency is to buy up to 50 properties in Glasgow and west Scotland, to help those at risk of homelessness and people who cannot access social housing.
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Homes for Good, which specialises in supporting people on low incomes and with limited housing choice, has received a £3.5m investment from Social and Sustainable Capital (SASC) to grow its property portfolio.

The properties will be bought and refurbished to give tenants safe, affordable, and secure homes for tenants, who will also be able to access ongoing support with Homes for Good and its partners.

What is Homes for Good?

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Currently Homes for Good manages over 500 properties and owns 266 properties, and this new investment from SASC’s Social and Sustainable Housing fund (SASH) creates a major step towards its goal of reaching 1000 properties under management by 2025.

SASC previously provided Homes for Good’s with a loan of £2.85m from its Third Sector Investment Fund in 2018 to buy 53 properties in Glasgow.

Homes for Good was founded in 2013 by Dr Susan Aktemel who saw the opportunity to improve the private rented sector for tenants and landlords through creating a new kind of letting agency, as a values-led social business, and to create a high quality housing option for people at risk of homelessness or with very limited choice in the mainstream private rented sector (PRS).

How does Homes for Good help?

PRS tenants often have major challenges in finding a secure home due to affordability, insecurity of tenure, quality, and the widespread perceptions of letting agents and landlords around risk in engaging with people on lower incomes or who require support.

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Homes for Good addresses these challenges by offering an alternative approach to a standard letting agency. As well as offering safe and high-quality housing, the organisation also offers flexible and personalised support to people with a wide range of needs, including mental health, homelessness and relationship breakdowns.

‘Delighted’ to be working together

Dr Susan Aktemel, executive director, said: “We are delighted to be working with SASC on a second round of funding, which will help us provide more high-quality housing to those who need it most. As the UK continues to experience a housing crisis, it’s critical that we innovate in the private sector to help close the gap in housing provision, which is exactly what we do at Homes for Good.”

Ben Rick, co-founder and CEO of SASC, added: “Homes for Good want to lead by example in the private rented sector and to act as a catalyst for change. The SASH-funded properties will help to address the shortage of suitable properties in the region and expand their reach to those who may not otherwise have been able to secure good quality, affordable accommodation.”

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