question for landlords

musey

I have a mix of tenants on benefits and professional.

In all honesty I prefer the HB tenants as they tend to be longer term. In my early years as a landlord I had my share of dodgy tenants but they were students so I got out of that market altogether. The benefits in my area have a service level agreement with the council to process claims from tenants in properties where the landlord is a member of the "Responsible Landlord Scheme" within 2 weeks (providing all information is provided), I'm pretty sure this is just a local thing though but it means I rarely wait longer than 3-4weeks max for rent to come through.

clutton_2

there is a similar scheme called the Landlord Acceditation Scheme operated by some local council housing offices - these landlords may well want to take on HB tenants - why not ask the council who these landlords are ?

musey

Yes thats right in my area member landlords of the Responsible Landlord Scheme are given the opportunity for their names to be included on a list given to HB claiments seeking private accomodation. I am on the list and would say I get a minimum of 4 enquiries per week. from it. Most of my tenants come by recommendation or from the Council's list. In fact I last advertised a property in 2001 since then I haven't needed to.

TAZ

lynzpower wrote:

Taz

incidentally, is your landlord going to formally evict you? if oyu havent been through this before, discuss it with your landlord. If your LL isnt going to evict you properly, you CAN be found intentionally homeless, so ensure that your landlord is going by the book on this one. Fair enough he might want to sell or live there himself, but unless you have been formally evicted via the court system ( dont worry theres nothing to be afraid of, this is really a box ticking excercise for the local authority then the state can find that you are intentionally homeless for leaving the property when you guys coulod legally have stayed. It is a expensive pain in the rear for your LL,but unfortunately as the way things are at the moment, a neccesary evil. Talk to one of the housing officers at your LA to find out more about this and gain an understanding of why this has to happen. you wont be classed as homeless unfortunately until this has happened.

HTH
Lynz
x

thanks for thinking about this but we are moving because my youngest two boys school is closing down and my middle one is moving up to high school so its an ideal time to move, my mum is nearly 80 and needs more help so we are hoping to move near her. if i was getting evicted it would probably help get me a council property.
i will just keep looking and hope i get something soon.

lynzpower

The point to note taz is that if you DONT get evicted then council properties in most cases will NOT be an option for you.

TAZ

lynzpower wrote:

The point to note taz is that if you DONT get evicted then council properties in most cases will NOT be an option for you.

not sure how you mean this because our council can't give its houses away quick enough, i am classed as over crowded in my 4 bedroomed property(in my council eyes at least) so i am actually higher up the list than others and as our council has this new bidding policy it seem even easier, some properties are only getting single figure bids.

lynzpower

Basically the top and bottom of it is

You live in your rented place
You leave your rented place at the end of your contract without being evicted
You then approach the council for a property.
they say, you are not legally homeless as you have left a property that you COULD have lived in for longer ( ie over the eviction process, and to the end of the eviction process)
Thus you are "intentionally homeless"

If however the council is giving you WRITTEN confirmation they find you homeless snatch thier hands off.

I dont know where you are, but in most of the areas I know of ( and Im on a specific housing forum about this legislation) most local authorities tend to use this bit of law to the letter, to ensure fair and equitable supply, as per the regs.

TAZ

this is not how it works here, lynz,
i am within my contract, (rolling) i am on my housing list, and i just keep bidding on a property that i like to see if i get it, i do not need to move because my landlord is kicking me out or anything like that, just purely because i want to be nearer my mum. as i said before a recent property i went for , i was 7th on the list but this was a very nice house in a very nice area so a lot of people went for it
i have included a link to my council website to show you how its works.
http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/HOME/HOUSING/COUNCIL%20HOUSING/HOUSING%20ALLOCATIONS/FEEDBACK%20ON%20LETTINGS/FEEDBACK%2015-29%20MAY%2006.PDF
If you click on the link below, it will show you the feedback that we get of the homes that have been allocated, you can see from the priority bands that have been allocated it is not alway the homeless that are getting the properties, 1 is homeless, 2 medical and then 3-8 are in order of need. i am a band 3 so have a better chance than most.
http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/HOME/HOUSING/COUNCIL%20HOUSING/HOUSING%20ALLOCATIONS/FEEDBACK%20ON%20LETTINGS/FEEDBACK%2015-29%20MAY%2006.PDF

lynzpower

Ah understand what you mean now.

All local authorities wil. use this method for assessing homelessness.

However, as you are not homeless and thus not applying for housing AS homeless then there is no problem, you are correct.

However, when you come to LEAVE where you are at the moment, this is when the above kicks in. So if you have bidded for a property and got it, you can leave your current tenancy and then move in.However, if you get to the end of your tenancy and your bidding hasnt been successful then you will need to be evicted as described above.

But it seems if you can "jump before pushed" these regs wont matter.

Jorgan_2

Taz, don't know if it will help in your situation but a landlord I deal with always makes a point of going to meet potential tenants at their own address, this way he assess how they are living & if he wants that person to become a tenant.

If you can find a private rental it may be worth offering the opportunity to the landlord to come & see you in your own home.