- Company has settled over £50 million worth of default claims
- Team has helped more than 1 million tenants find a property
- New partnerships and services showcase rapid evolution and growth
UK rental guarantor service Housing Hand has revealed it has executed guarantees covering £648 million worth of rent, as the company celebrates its ninth birthday. Over the same period, it has settled more than £50 million worth of default claims, maintaining a 100% pay-out rate on all valid claims, despite the pressures of both Covid and Brexit.
“Nine years ago, three of us sat in a tiny, fourth floor office in Mayfair, working out how we could try to make renting privately more accessible. Since then, we’ve moved to larger offices multiple times as the team has grown, while Housing Hand has strengthened and evolved its range of services.
“Today, we are delighted to have helped over 1 million tenants find property and to have helped and processed over 80,000 rental guarantor applicants.”
Terry Mason, Group Operations Director, Housing Hand
Housing Hand began as a service that helped international students who wanted to rent private accommodation in the UK. The company then expanded to help UK students and then working professionals, before branching out to support those working and studying in the Republic of Ireland as well.
One of the company’s earliest partners was Host Students, a firm providing student accommodation in the UK and Ireland. With a keen commitment to student wellbeing, the award-winning firm is proud to have worked with Housing Hand for the past nine years to make student accommodation more accessible.
“As one of the largest providers of student accommodation in the UK, Host is
committed to ensuring that students can enjoy calm, stress-free homes during their time
at university. Student life can be an emotional whirlwind, but home should always be an
escape from the pressures of the outside world. Working in partnership with Housing
Hand helps us to ensure the best possible student accommodation experience.”
Andy Attewell, Head of Operations, Host
As Housing Hand’s customer base expanded, it sought other ways to help those who were struggling to access private rented sector accommodation. The flat fee of a month’s rent for the Housing Hand guarantor service was reduced to under two weeks’ rent in some cases, while payment terms were lengthened first to eight months and then to 12.
Housing Hand now works with private landlords, letting agencies, Build to Rent and co-living providers, universities and purpose-built student accommodation providers. The company has expanded its range of services to include not just rental guarantees but a house finder service, Depositless renting and a service to protect tenants in houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) from being held liable for their housemates’ rent arrears.
“We are thrilled to be building on such a solid foundation, thanks to Housing Hand’s long-term commitment to helping people who would not typically get properties in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. We are here to remove barriers to renting and continue to develop our services around that aim.
“Most recently, we’ve rebuilt our technology and established new partnerships despite turbulent market conditions. There’s an exciting future ahead, as we continue to evolve over the next nine years and beyond.”
Jeremy Robinson, Group Founder and CEO, Housing Hand
