Flat Maintenance/service charge benefit??

sbergisch66

I have just been made redundant and have very little savings.

Luckily I have my own flat that is paid for but I have to pay £100 a month in maintenance charges.

I've searched the net and have found nothing to suggest that flat maintenance is paid in the form of benefits.

Anyone know if this is the case as £100 out of a total of £240 a month dosent leave enough to live on after paying my other direct debits

Thanks

limotek

Hey why not speak to Citizens Advice Bureau its a free service??

suelees1

Benefit only covers eligible rent which can include some service charges depending on what they are for.

Have you actually applied for benefit and the maintenance part has been refused ?

sbergisch66

ive only applied for jobseekers alllowance but when i phoned the housing benefit people they seemed to think i wouldnt get any help with my flat service charge.

I dont pay any rent as the flat is bought.

cheers

suelees1

Oh sorry - yes it's right, housing benefit only covers rented accommodation. I'm not sure if any of these charges would be considered as housing costs for IS/JSA but even if they are there's a waiting period before you'd get any help. Give the mortgage section at the Jobcentre a ring

real1314

sbergisch66 wrote: »

ive only applied for jobseekers alllowance but when i phoned the housing benefit people they seemed to think i wouldnt get any help with my flat service charge.

I dont pay any rent as the flat is bought.

cheers

JSA can include "housing costs" which may be appropriate for some of the service charge - depends what it covers.

devon_guy

I work in the housing field and I'm sure I saw a leaflet at work today which said that Housing Benefit covered service charges. I'll have a look tomorrow and get back to you.

colin13

I have a service charge for up keep in our housing estate,, my wife who get IS did not apply for a cpl of years ,when we did we got £120 a year which is just about the full years charge,, but we now have big debt because wife not applying,, apply and c wot response u get u may get a surprise

sbergisch66

thanks all, i'll check out ur advice and see how it goes