Campaign launches to help find affordable rental homes for NHS staff in Cornwall
It comes as a rising number are struggling to find somewhere to live
A campaign has launched to help find affordable rental homes for NHS staff across Cornwall.
Camel and Homequest Lettings in Truro, both run by Phil Norgan, came up with the idea after hearing about a worker at Treliske who was struggling to find somewhere to live.
Graham Milne issued an appeal on social media after finding out he was being evicted.
The 60-year-old, who works in the radiography department at Treliske hospital, had been renting a cottage in Falmouth for eight years when the landlord decided to sell.
He has now been offered a property in his home town by a couple from Spain, after the appeal went viral.
After hearing about his story, the two lettings agents decided to team up with other estate agents to try and help tackle the problem.
They are asking anyone with an empty property to get in touch to see if they can work out short or long term lets for NHS staff in need of homes in Cornwall.
Phil told us: "We've heard of people who are sofa surfing, people who are moving from one property to another as and when they have to, it's just not right. There are empty properties out there, they may be second homes or they may be empty properties that no one is doing anything with.
"None of us want to go to hospital, but when we have to go to hospital we want to know that the people who are looking after us aren't worrying about where they're going to sleep that night.
"There is a lack of stock, but when you drive around and you see small, medium and large properties that are empty, and you know they're empty, it's just a shame that they can't be utilised better."
How will it work?
They are asking for anyone with an empty property to come forward and see if they can put NHS staff into it, either on a six-month short term let over the winter or something more permanent.
Camel and Homequest Lettings are asking local estate agents who have properties they know they won’t sell until Spring 2022 to contact their clients and ask a similar question.
They are also appealing to New Homes developers and investors who maybe in the process of selling or buying investment properties to put NHS staff at the top of their lists for tenants.
Phil added: "If a landlord comes onboard, it is on the understanding that we will offer a reduced monthly rent to an NHS worker. In return, we will discount our management fee by 25% for the year.
"We are also working with RCHT and will post any properties, exclusively, on their closed Facebook page for 48 hours before uploading to the portals."
The team launched their first NHS property on Tuesday (16th November) which is a two bed bungalow in Falmouth (photographed above) at £1100pcm, discounted to £1000pcm for NHS staff which equates to £500pcm per person.
They have also passed a Cornwall Air Ambulance employee to another agency, Ocean & Country in Looe, as they have a property that this person can afford.
Phil says it is a great example of local estate agents working together.
You can contact Camel Management and Homequest Lettings here.