Access to Private Rented Housing
We help people secure private tenancies and support both tenants and landlords to sustain them.
About the
Service
Our Private Rented Access Service (PRAS) is unique in Plymouth. It was the very first service that we began with 30 years ago - laying the foundation for everything that followed. No other organisation in the city offers this combination of experience, expertise, and trusted landlord partnerships.
The people we support often come to us at a point of real crisis—leaving prison, being asked to leave by family, stuck in B&B and temporary accommodation, sofa surfing, or rough sleeping. Finding a home in the private rented sector can feel impossible without savings, references, or confidence in navigating the system. That’s where PRAS steps in.
Working Together to Provide Homes and Change Lives
We offer personalised, practical support. We start by looking at what housing options are realistic, helping people search for properties, arrange viewings, and check affordability. Our team supports clients with paperwork, fund applications, and budgeting, ensuring the tenancy is affordable and sustainable.
Once housed, support doesn’t stop. We stay in touch, regularly checking in for up to two years. We know the first months of a tenancy can be fragile, so we’re there to troubleshoot issues early and help people settle.
Our Deposit Guarantee Scheme plays a key role. Many people we help cannot raise a deposit, so we step in with a written agreement between Path and the landlord, covering arrears or damages for two years. While in the tenancy, tenants contribute to a savings scheme so they can provide a cash deposit at the end of the agreement. Combined with help for rent in advance, this makes the private rented sector a real option for those otherwise locked out.
Last year alone, PRAS supported 164 people into secure homes—each one a life changed and a future stabilised.
“We cannot express enough gratitude to Path and our landlord for welcoming us during such a challenging time. Path provided us with step-by-step guidance on securing housing.”
For Landords
Landlords are essential to PRAS, and we treat them as partners. By bringing ready-to-rent tenants and providing a trusted contact at Path to help when needed, we make renting safer and simpler for landlords. Our landlord relationships—built up over three decades—are a real strength of the service.
Landlords tell us they value our approach because it reduces risk, provides reassurance, and offers access to reliable tenants. As one landlord partner put it: “Working with Path comes with perks.”
Wider Impact
PRAS strengthens Plymouth’s housing response in many ways:
Specialist support for young people under 25, people on probation, and refugees.
Training for professionals on how private renting works and how to support tenancies.
Partnership working with agencies including Plymouth City Council, BCHA, the Salvation Army, Plymouth Foyer, and Citizens Advice, ensuring people are quickly referred and supported.
Sharing knowledge and expertise gained from 30 years of experience in the sector.
Our Private Rented Access Service is built on trust, experience, and partnership—and it changes lives every day.
The Private Rented Access Service is commissioned and funded by Plymouth City Council.
