The contract for one of the City of Edinburgh Council’s pioneering homeless services has been awarded.

Link Group Ltd will be delivering the Private Sector Leasing (PSL) scheme which provides a major source of rented accommodation for homeless people in the Capital.

The scheme offers long term contracts to private landlords whose properties are then let by the Council to people who are homeless and in housing need.

When the scheme was launched in 2005 it was the first of its kind in Scotland and since then has successfully provided support to more than 4,000 people through a network of 1,600 properties.

Councillor Paul Edie, Housing Leader, said: "We have made great strides in tackling homelessness in Edinburgh through innovative schemes like PSL and by working with our partners in the police, voluntary and health sectors.


"The number of people presenting themselves as homeless to the Council has consistently fallen over the last few years. Schemes like PSL, where we work with private landlords to free up housing in the private rented market to those people who need it most, is paying dividends.

"I am sure our partnership with Link Group Ltd will build on the strong foundations that have been laid in dealing with the issue of homelessness in Edinburgh.

"The PSL scheme is another fine example of why this Council has rightly been judged as providing the best local authority housing service in Scotland."

Craig Sanderson, Chief Executive of Link Group Ltd, said the company was delighted to have been appointed as the managing agent for the PSL scheme.

He said: "We believe that our extensive experience in housing management and commitment to making improvements based on regular contact with customers is a firm foundation on which to deliver our objective of providing an excellent service to owners, tenants and the City of Edinburgh Council."

(GK/BMcC)