Of the many private landlords in Brighton and Hove, one company has been making a name for itself for going the extra mile with its services to the community. Baron Homes, founded in 1994 and based in Brighton’s South Lanes, now provides 196 units of housing to the council to shelter the city’s homeless.

Managing Director, Nazila Blencowe, said: “I’m a proud Brightonian and have raised my children here, so I feel it’s important to give something back to the city and the local community.”

Baron Homes manages many of Brighton’s most iconic properties such as East Street Arcade, Princes House and Tower Point. Despite its popularity with residential and commercial tenants, the company still allocates almost 200 units constantly throughout the year to house the homeless.

CEO, Michael Blencowe, said: “It’s great to be able to provide such a positive service to the council and to know that we’re helping the city’s less fortunate. Many of the tenants only stay short term before the council finds them more permanent associated housing, and homeless tenants don’t have to pay a deposit or sign any long-term contracts.”

Windsor Court on Windsor Street, one of the larger buildings on the company’s portfolio, is maintained by Baron Homes all year-round to provide shelter for the city’s most vulnerable.

Senior Property Manager, Vashikeh Clarke, said: “It’s not an easy job maintaining these buildings, and sometimes we have to deal with challenging issues such as vandalism and antisocial behaviour, but the majority of the tenants look after the properties.”

Brighton and Hove’s population is constantly growing, with many new residents arriving each week.

Mrs Blencowe said: “It’s a pleasure to be able to help where we can and to know that we’ve gotten vulnerable people off the streets.”

Baron Homes has applied for planning permission to build a roof top restaurant at Tower Point, which will add to the glamour and amenity of the city’s current venues.

Baron Homes has other exciting plans for the future. Mrs Blencowe informed us: “We recently purchased the freehold of Newhaven Marina and are currently working with architects to create 350 new homes and a leisure complex on the site, including a cinema, restaurants and other fantastic communal spaces. We’re very excited about the coming year.”