Renting to LHA - Advice please

Letslet_2

Hi all.

I have recently purchased a property that I intend to rent out.

I placed an advert in the local paper and was contacted by a lady who wishes to rent the property from me.

I met her to show her around the property and she is keen to rent it from me.

She currently lives with relatives (temporary) whilst she finds somewhere suitable to live (as she is in quite poor health and needs to be treated for her illnesses from home). She has made initial contact with the LHA and has an idea of what she can claim (which covers the rent).

She brought along a form with her (from the LHA) which she needs to fill in (there is also a section that I need to fill in). Once we have completed the form do i need to provide any further information?

She is desperate to get in asap to start her treatment but as she doesnt already claim LHA how long will it take for her claim to be reviewed?

This is the first property i have let out so apologies if i seem slightly dense!

Many thanks.

Fire_Fox

Welcome to MSE!

Sob story ... Are you a first time landlord? How are you going to verify this tenants tale of woe? Does she have money for a damage deposit and first month's rent? What are you going to do if this tenants claim is turned down and you have signed a six month AST?

Geenie

I can't warn you enough.........do not be brow beaten into renting to someone before you have done all of the necessary checks! :eek:

It is easy to jump at the first person who answers your advert, because you think you will have rent coming in as quickly as possible..........but the consequences of having a tenant from hell, and the cost to you in the long run can make this initial delight turn quickly sour.

Don't worry about how quickly or desperate they are to move in. Do all the referencing, credit checks and get a guarantor. This has nothing to do with a person needing LHA, but everything to do with being a good LL, no matter how the tenant will pay! This care, attention and work at the start could save you months of grief along the line.

My experience of people claiming benefits is that it took at least 3 months to come through, and relatives had to cough up for this time. I insisted on a few months up front.

If you are going to do the job as a LL properly, start at the very beginning by doing the necessary work. Act in haste, reprepent at leisure.

Good luck OP.

Trollfever

You are running a business not a local authority funded care home.

clutton_2

use a reputable agent to find you a tenant and do all the credit checks and references necessary and who can advise you on all the other issues you have to comply with

Energy certificate
Landlords gas safety certificate
electrical check
inventory
deposit protection
etc etc etc

- i have hardly ever housed someoone "in a hurry" and "temporarily" living with relatives.... why are they with rellies ? why are they in a hurry ?

Letslet_2

Thanks for all of your replies.

Dont worry I will ensure that all the checks are done and that i get a deposit and everything else put into place.

Just wanted to help her out as she has been forced to move out of her last home when her husband left and is due to start dialysis imminently.

Fire_Fox

Letslet wrote: »

Thanks for all of your replies.

Dont worry I will ensure that all the checks are done and that i get a deposit and everything else put into place.

Just wanted to help her out as she has been forced to move out of her last home when her husband left and is due to start dialysis imminently.

How do you know any of that is true? Sorry but we see it all the time on this board, professional tenant meets amateur landlord. Was she forced to move because she got into arrears with the rent? I know a something about medical matters and I do not believe your prospective tenant would not already be having dialysis if it was required.

PasturesNew

Her LHA claim might take a couple of months to come through, how does she propose to cover the rent until it does?

Have you looked up the local LHA for a shared house rent, or 1-bed rent (which she would be eligible for would depend on her age) - and if it differs from your rent, how does she propose covering the difference?

Letslet_2

Again thanks for the replies.

I definately will be doing everything by the book on this (hence asking for as much advice as possible).

I genuinely do believe that this woman is ill as she also had with her some correspondance from a hospital / nurse who was requesting a home visit as soon as her permanent address was sorted (something to do with positioning / storing equipment for the dialysis.

Geenie

Fire_Fox wrote: »

How do you know any of that is true? Sorry but we see it all the time on this board, professional tenant meets amateur landlord. Was she forced to move because she got into arrears with the rent? I know a something about medical matters and I do not believe your prospective tenant would not already be having dialysis if it was required.

Umm, if her kidneys are deteriorating and not filtering properly, then dialysis will be recommended....this doesn't mean that she has not been able to cope without it until now surely, as we do not know the medical history for such a statement as you make!

That said, this is not a good reason to take a tenant on without doing all the necessary checks, which the OP has stated they are doing.

clutton_2

if you are insistent on doing tnis yourself then get a tenancy applicatoin form filled in IN FULL by the tenant - you can find it on www.landlordzone.co.uk AND get a working guarantor and get them to fill in the Guarantors form on the same site..... and get a deposit - if the tenant cannot do all these things - dont give her the house

Charge both tenant and guarantor £75 to cover credit check fees/admin fees etd - if they grumble at this.... dont give her the house