Homeless people offered flats by charitable landlords

Two property entrepreneurs have offered to donate some of their flats to homeless people in a collaboration with the charity Social Bite.

Graeme and Leanne Carling are offering units from their property stock in Tayside to house people free of charge.

The couple, who own private property rental and management firm PRS Group, came up with the idea as they are taking part in Saturday's Sleep in the Park event, organised by Social Bite.

As corporate sponsors of Sleep in the Park Dundee, the Carlings have already donated £5,000 and for every £2,500 more that their team raises.

PRS Group will house homeless people free of charge for a year, up to a maximum of eight people.

Mr Carling said: "We didn't hesitate to back Sleep in the Park Dundee.

"As property developers and supporters of their mission, it just makes sense that we would both take part in and sponsor it.

"But it was also important to walk the walk and go an extra step, particularly as we are landlords.

"Not only did we want to sleep out, we wanted to put some of our units to good use and offer accommodation free of charge to homeless people for a year."

He added: "The more we raise in money, the more people we can house. We will then work with Social Bite to match people with the accommodation."

Social Bite aims to raise £6 million from Sleep in the Park 2018 to continue its fight to eradicate homelessness.

It hopes 12,000 people will take part in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee on Saturday December 8 in what has been described as "the world's biggest simultaneous multi-city sleep-out".

Amy Macdonald and KT Tunstall are "busking" at all four venues, travelling between each by helicopter while other performers across the cities include Eddi Reader, Frightened Rabbit, Lulu and The View's Kyle Falconer.

Social Bite founder Josh Littlejohn said: "We're delighted to be working with Graeme and Leanne on both Sleep in the Park Dundee and on their offer to provided free accommodation for the homeless.

"It's only through innovative solutions like this that we will help eradicate homelessness in Scotland."