housing benefit, hostel

questionstoask_2

Had no where to live so I booked two weeks in a hostel.
Went to the council and applied for housing benefit, I told the woman that I had booked the hostel on the Internet and didn't know what my rent would be after the two weeks, She said that I should come in with the receipt when I had paid the rent and they would change my rent.
I did that and I gave them a letter from the hostel telling them when I started to pay their long-term rate.

I got a temporary rate for the benefit and I went to their office several times and told them that my rent was much higher and everytime they said, I will put a reminde on the computer for them but don't worry you will get a lot higher benefit than you are getting now.

Last week I got a call from a woman who said that the temporary benefit that I had been given was what I was going to get. They could not change the rate within 52weeks and since I had not change room it didn't matter that my rent had increase.
I told her that the first two weeks was based on the hostels internet rates and she said that I could write a letter to them and tell that but she didn't think that would matter since I hadn't change room.

The friends who have been paying my rent have now starting to ask for their money back and I feel horrible not being able to pay them back.

Can they do this, can they say that I will get most of my rent paid once they have looked at my claim(and that took a long time) and then they will say no, and calculate your benefit on Internet rates?
Every time I called or visit their office they would say, I will send them a reminder and the first two times i went there they said that my benefit, even the temporary one was to low.

Fran

Are you in touch with Shelter? They should know about things like this, also useful for finding accommodation in your area.

John38_2

I'm guessing the Hostel is privately run and therefore you are in reciept of Local Housing Allowance.

As I understand it, for the first 2 weeks the rent is dirt cheap, and as such the LA have paid you the LHA rate, up to the maximum £15 per week over your actual rent. They have then refused to review this for a period of 52 weeks, right?

E.g. Rent for 2 weeks is £20 per week, the LHA rate is £80 per week, and the LA pay you £15 over (maximum permissable), which is £35 per week, and now the rent has gone up to £80 a week but you're still getting the £35 p/w with no review for 12 months?

Write to the Council and ask for a review of their decision, state in the letter that you have sought advice on the matter, and you are now aware of the LHA rules regarding your situation.

You moved in on a verbal/temporary agreement for the period of 2 weeks agreeing to pay £x per week. After the 2 weeks are up you have now started a formal tenancy agreement with the hostel, agreeing to pay more rent.

This is a new tenancy agreement and your LHA should be reviewed. After it has been reviewed though, even if your rent is increased again, it wont be reviewed for 12 months.

Hope that helped.