How to find private landlords?

Svenena

Aren't LHA rates based on the median rent charged by private landlords within your local area? So accordingly, half of the properties in your area should charge equal to or below the amount payable for LHA. Of course, you will only be able to claim for what they consider you need. So if there you are a couple, that will be a one-bedroom property.

ETA: In answer to your original question, I would recommend contacting all the LAs in your area and asking if they have any suitable properties available with LLs who will accept those on LHA. This is how I found my flat (I was claiming full LHA when I moved in).

MTDancer

Thanks Svenena. No LA in this area take LHA

Fang_3

MTDancer wrote: »

To be fair to all the low income families in need, with no other property, it would hardly be fair for a "landlord" like yourself to use up taxpayer funds while holding a property portfolio.

You have the option of selling/equity release on the rented propety(s), to provide for your housing needs.

Get real CloudCookoo, I only profit by £100 per month. Both properties have been on the market for 2 years and i am in negative equity. As you can see from my earnings I am not rich!

But you OWN TWO HOUSES. Why do you think that the rest of us should pay anything to house you when you already own two places that you could live?!

Svenena

MTDancer wrote: »

Thanks Svenena. No LA in this area take LHA

Hmm, this isn't really the decision of an agent, it's up to the landlord. Even though many will say in the adverts or on their websites "No DSS" or something, that tends to be just a general thing put in without checking with the LL. I think it would be worth phoning some LAs advertising suitable properties and asking whether they would check with the LL.

Other than that, there are sites which private landlords can advertise their properties on directly. If you google 'lettings' or 'rent', lots of national sites will come up. You might find one specific to your area, if you stick that into Google too. Obviously keep checking Gumtree (and other sites) on a daily basis. If there aren't many properties available in your area, they will go very quickly, so you need to move fast.

PasturesNew

Is it just the two of you?

CloudCuckooLand

MTDancer wrote: »

Cloud cookoo, rented properties are 500 miles away.

MTDancer wrote: »

Get real CloudCookoo, I only profit by £100 per month.

Get real yourself.

The point is, that you would only lose £100. Instead of being £300 short every month.

And if your hubby has been out of work for 4 months, maybe trying somewhere 500 miles away would be a better option for work - though even if it isn't, at least its no worse, because you are about to become homeless, anyway...

If rates rise, you will lose the rental, as you will be unable to afford to cover the shortfall, if its only £100 profit.

Better to be in it as a homeowner, and claim SMI etc...

MTDancer

The houses are in negative equity and we will lose them anyway. If you are just going to be rude forget it. I was looking for help, not judgement. I hope you don't find yourself in our situation but if you do I hope no-one will sympathise. As I have severe migraines the houses were my only income. I cannot get incapacity benefit and we ploughed our life savings into them. We have lost over £50,000 pounds and never asked the state for anything until now. My husband has been in good jobs in the past and has paid into the system for over 40 years. He was made unemployed thru no fault of his own. He has worked 80 hours a week whilst studying to improve himself and he has applied for over 300 jobs. He is applying for jobs that pay minimum wage and does not get them because he is too qualified. I will look for advice alswhere in the future

Thundercat_2

But surely you must understand why people aren't exactly falling over themselves to help you?

Whether your other properties are in negative equity or not is not the taxman's problem, you still own two other houses which you could live in, am I right? Also, you're expecting the taxpayer to fund your own accommodation while you hang on to two other houses!!

If you were to be given LHA funding while you kept hold of the two houses and then in the future the housing market picks up and those houses increase in value to the extent that you would be finally in profit, would you be willing to sell those houses and give all profit to the taxman in lieu of the LHA you've claimed - I would assume not!! I think this is a case of wanting to have your cake and eat it!

You want the tax man to fund you, whilst hanging on to assets that you hope in the future will return you a profit - why would we all be in support of something like this??

NEH

Tuscan wrote: »

Hi, I'm Tuscan's wife and I assess claims for Housing Benefit ( for my sins!)

Off the top of my head, any rental income that you receive is treated as income and the capital held in the property is NOT taken into account. The rules regarding income from tenants and capital/property are quite complicated but I can check when I go back to work on Tuesday if you would like me to?

HTH

Well when we were struggling last year and we enquired we were told differently....

We had a flat that wouldn't sell, had to move out mainly due to my ill health and that was taken into account and we were turned down for housing benefit as we owned another property...So your advice would be wrong in our council area...

I didn't think it was different for different council areas but obviously you can get more help where you are Tuscan's wife...

OP i would be surprised if you were entitled to housing benefit did you mention that you owned another property and were receiving income from it albeit even if it is not profit?

Cannon_Fodder

MTDancer wrote: »

The houses are in negative equity and we will lose them anyway. If you are just going to be rude forget it. I was looking for help, not judgement. I will look for advice alswhere in the future

Where is the rudeness from CCL? All I can see is the repetition of a phrase you first used. Grow up.

And read what has been written.

Just because you are in negative equity does not mean you will necessarily lose them.

The last suggestion from CCL is perhaps worthy of investigation. If there is danger of repossession by your Lender, then being in the property wil confer extra rights to you. You may be able to call upon a range of schemes to defer and delay action against you. Worst case scenario, you become homeless in a way that the council will have to temporarily house you.

CloudCuckooLand wrote: »

Better to be in it as a homeowner, and claim SMI etc...

Or, if buying time allows hubby to get a job and stabilise your finances, then you may find the negative equity eases, over time, you gradually rebuild your equity, keep the properties, and make some profit.


If you do go elsewhere, fine. As I'm not entirely convinced you are not a troll, anyway.