Housing is always a contentious issue in Central Lakes, with so many holiday homes and second homes some villages can seem like ghost towns in the wet winter months.

There’s been a lot of discussion around the Council’s plans for social housing in all its various forms, but what about the private rented sector?

More than 1 in 10 homes across South Lakeland are rented from Private Landlords and your local Citizens Advice has recently carried out a survey of houses to rent in our area. Rents are often high because Landlords can choose holiday letting instead of renting to someone who lives in South Lakeland. We found more than 120 homes available, with the average rent for a 2-bed house at more than £600 per month. Just 3% of the homes we found were affordable to people claiming housing benefit (called Local Housing Allowance or LHA) meaning that Tenants have to look for cheaper or smaller accommodation often further away, or find the extra money somehow to top-up their benefit payment.

It’s not easy for Landlords either. Often buy-to-let mortgages and insurance policies won’t allow Tenants that claim benefits, and there can be delays in getting benefit payments processed leading to arrears. We are interested in finding out more, so if you are Tenant getting LHA, or a Landlord let us know how your views by using our online questionnaire at www.cumbriaruralcab.org.uk. We will use the information to try and lobby for improvements both locally and nationally.

Free, confidential advice and help is available from the Citizens Advice Bureau on any aspect of housing, debt, benefits, employment and any other problems. You can contact the Grange or Windermere Citizens Advice Bureau by phone or in person. Call 015395 33100 / 015394 46464. If you don't need us for advice, how about helping us by becoming a volunteer or making a donation? Not many people realize that we are a charity - see our website for details www.cumbriaruralcab.org.uk.