A leading homeless charity, Crisis, is set to become a not-for-profit landlord by purchasing its own properties. In partnership with Lloyds Banking Group, the organisation plans to acquire at least 100 homes across London and Newcastle within the next three years, aiming to provide secure and affordable housing for people experiencing severe homelessness.

Charity’s plans to buy homes

Crisis intends to buy its first properties by summer 2026 as part of a wider strategy to tackle homelessness through direct housing provision. The charity has highlighted the urgency of the housing crisis and the need for innovative solutions to prevent the situation from worsening.

Matt Downie, Chief Executive at Crisis, explained: “With the support of Lloyds Banking Group, we can now kick-start our plans to become a not-for-profit landlord in the next few months.” He emphasised that the initiative will enable Crisis to offer genuinely affordable and secure homes to those facing the most extreme forms of homelessness, helping them to rebuild their lives.

Downie acknowledged that while this approach is only part of the solution, it represents an important shift. He called on the UK government to increase the delivery of social housing at scale, but praised the ongoing support from Lloyds Banking Group and the dedication of its staff for enabling Crisis to innovate and respond more effectively to the housing challenges.

Collaboration to end homelessness

Charlie Nunn, Group Chief Executive Officer at Lloyds Banking Group, expressed pride in supporting Crisis’s pioneering move to acquire and manage housing directly. He described the charity’s ambition and imagination as inspirational and stressed the importance of strong collaboration between public, business, and charity sectors to address homelessness.

The bank has also contributed to funding the launch of Crisis’s Good Place Lettings, a lettings agency designed to introduce greater social purpose into the private rental market and tackle housing inequality.

Context of the social housing shortage

This development comes amid concerning data showing a net loss of social homes in England. According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 16,291 social homes were sold or demolished last year, while only 10,807 new social homes were built. This imbalance exacerbates the housing crisis and highlights the need for alternative approaches like those being pursued by Crisis.

What this means for landlords

The involvement of a charity like Crisis in becoming a not-for-profit landlord signals a growing recognition of the role that diverse housing providers can play in addressing homelessness. For private landlords and agents, this may represent a shift towards more socially minded partnerships and lettings models, particularly as initiatives such as Good Place Lettings seek to bring social purpose into the private rental sector.

Landlords should be aware of the increasing pressure on social housing supply and the potential for charities and other organisations to fill gaps in provision. Collaboration between sectors could lead to new opportunities and challenges within the rental market, especially in high-demand areas like London and Newcastle.

Source: Based on reporting from Property118

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