So now it has to be 'working DSS'

clutton_2

the problem with benefit tenants have been various throughout the years - the current problems are that the Housing Benefit system was demolished on April 5th this year and replaced with Local Housing Allowance - and several council LHA offices i deal with are inundated with the work. i have one LHA tenant who has been with me for 2 months and one week - and there will still be a "significant" delay in getting her claim processed - this is local government speak for another 2-3 months. so i am expected to pay my mortgage for 4-5 months before getting any rent ? At the 5 month stage if and when the money comes thru to the tenant - a scally tenant will just take the money and run - and i will be left in the poo.

thats why landlords are becoming more and more unhappy with benefit tenants - its about the system - not about them as individuals.

PasturesNew

I loll around all day watching daytime TV. Rarely get dressed really.
Went out for a pub lunch today, then back to watch more daytime TV.
Out tomorrow morning taking an aptitude test, then I'll return here for more lolling.

But I don't qualify for benefits. While lolling I work online dabbling a bit and am doing rather well.

I don't seem to get interviews because they want to know what I've been doing for the last year (lolling) and the last 5 years (stayed in, lolling mainly).

seven-day-weekend

Maybe by 'working DSS' they mean those claiming Working Tax Credits rather than Jobseekers' Allowance.

In other words, they don't want unemployed people.

essexlass

Yes I know what 'working DSS' means but what I am getting at is there isn't a difference when it comes to how the rent is being paid, LHA would still pay a lot of it. Clutton I understand about the delay but I didn't realise it took that long to get HB sorted. Always been a pretty swift process with me.

However Clutton surely you are taking that risk with a working tenant they can take the money and run also? Like I say it's the frustrating thing of being tarred with the same brush. And as a person who is finding it difficult to come across a LL that will take LHA, it does get frustrating. Yes I am unemployed at present - doesn't mean I am some scumbag who can't be bothered to work. Also am not a 'scally tenant' who would run off with the rent but again I have a bad credit rating which makes life even more difficult for me to get a property as yes I fully admit it - I got into a situation where I didn't pay certain bills because I couldn't afford to.

Anyway rant over

clutton_2

essexlass - three quarters of my properties have single parent mums on benefit living in them - so i do do my bit - but there are significantly more risks with benefits tenants - if i have a working tenant who stops paying the rent - after 32 days i can apply to the court for a possession order. whilst i am waiting for a LHA tenant to pay me "on a promise from the council" i am completely in the tenants hands as to whether they pay me the rent when it arrives or not. the council will only pay the LL direct if the rent is 8 weeks in arrears. So i am now contacting the council to say that one tenant is 8 weeks in arrears and hope that they will agree to a direct payment to myself - whenever they decide to deal with the claim that it !!

if a LHA tenant is 8 weeks in arrears - in reality - i will never get that money - would you be willing to lose one-sixth of your income each year ?

N79

essexlass wrote: »

However Clutton surely you are taking that risk with a working tenant they can take the money and run also?

Essexlass, I'm far from an expert on "DSS" tenants as, unlike Clutton, I do not rent to them as this is not my market. However I thought I would add that while you are correct that a working tenant can also not pay their rent there are two differences.

1. I know immediately that they are not paying so I can start the eviction processs as soon as 2 months rent is unpaid. With HB/LHA you can wait months with no rent while the local authority processes the claim and which the local authority then pays to the tenant. If they run of with this and you then start the eviction proceedings you are risking a much larger level of arreas.

2. With employed people I have a fighting chance of getting back some of the money through the courts. It is always pointless sueing people with no money!

Bungarm2001

We have two tenants (separate properties) in receipt of benefits. One is still being paid under the old HB rules, and the other just started with LHA.

Our LHA tenant was 2 months in arrears through no fault of her own...it was the process being so slooooow that has caused this...and she is also 'missing' at least one weeks money from them after we finally received a cheque from the benefits people. After a phone call to them today, no-one seems to know where the missing weeks payment went and when the next lot will be paid (to the tenant that is), so I'm sitting here wondering if we did the right thing by accepting someone on LHA.The tenant is really lovely too and is on benefits for a very good reason.

Our tenant on HB rules is also lovely...the HB is paid on time, directly to us, every month without fail and has been from day one, with no significant or unexpected delays. She has indicated to me that she wants things to stay that way as long as possible, even tho we have worked out that she would be better off switching to LHA. She admitted that the temptation to spend the money, even if it was in her account only one day would be too much.

Don't know why I'm posting this actually, but thought it might interest someone to read how we are experiencing letting to tenants on benefits that appear to be similar.

neverdespairgirl

Bungarm2001 wrote: »

After a phone call to them today, no-one seems to know where the missing weeks payment went and when the next lot will be paid (to the tenant that is), so I'm sitting here wondering if we did the right thing by accepting someone on LHA.The tenant is really lovely too and is on benefits for a very good reason

Poor woman, and poor you! Both being messed around, through no fault of your own.

clutton_2

you may have lost a weeks rent because if tenants want to swap from HB to LHA they have to sign off for a week to do so - this also means that they will not get council tax benefit for one week also

essexlass

Clutton I can see that point regarding the loss of income. It is a difficult situation as from one side of the coin you have decent tenants who lose out because of not working for whatever reason. Then you have the LL who are worried that a LHA/HB tenant won't pay and the delays. I see what you are saying about the rent arrears tenant too. Is this tenant a genuine person who wants to get it sorted or someone who is a pain in the backside?