problems with Rent/ctc & is

bride_on_a_budget

Hi everyone,
sorry for the long thread

my mum has just rang me all upset, she is behind with her rent (1 month) . she is on income support and also gets child tax credit,

she has only recently go on to IS after having to give up work and her Child tax credits was stopped , they promised they would be in her account last thurs so her bills went out and bounced as the credits were not in their, she has rang them and they said it will take up to 6 wks to sort out her claim,

in the mean time her LL has been round today to say that if she does not pay the arrears by the end of the day he will give her one months notice!
is this right, he wont have the Housing benifit paid direct to him from the council as he likes to be paid in cash!

i dont really know what to say to her, i know i cant help with money as i am in middle of trying to sell my house!
she went to income support and they gave her £45 crisis loan.

please any advice would be great

bride on a budget

becky_rtw

Hi BOAB,

More knowledgeable peeps will be along shortly, but I think in order to serve a section 8 she has to be two months in arrears (and even then it eviction wont be granted unless she still is at the court date).

He could serve a S21 which needs no grounds but thats still two months notice from rent day.

She pays in cash?!? Also he cant just pop round either...she is entitled to quiet enjoyment of the property.

Did she tell him she was going onto benefits? LL need different insurance for benefit claimants as they are considered higher risk (pretty much because situations like this do arrive).

All she can do is explain the situation to him, pay him when she gets the money, and hope he doesnt issue a S21 next rent day, but if he does she'll have two months to find somewhere else... sorry!

becky_rtw

Oh yeah forgot to say - get her to ring Shelter! They are great with stuff like this.

bride_on_a_budget

Hi Becky,

thanks for your advice...

she was already on benifits when she moved in....
at the mo she is owed 8 wks x £45 by tax credits.
also housing benifit pay £120 per week towards the rent which she has to pay the remaining £55 per week.
i cant remember how much she said she gets on IS but the missing tax credits is the problem really...

i really wish i could help her but i am at college and trying to sell my house...

becky_rtw

Sorry I cant help more...a gentle bump for some more experienced MSE's