Housing benefit, legal implications

lil'H

Chrysalis wrote:

yeah the people giving legal advice were probably steroetyped as well.

You do highlight the problem tho in that the HB system itself is a big problem, the 4 weekly thing as well as it pays in arrears and not in advance.

However I dont see a problem if it gets paid to the tenant instead of the landlord for 2 reasons.

If the tenant is responsible they will pay iheir rent on time anyway this is regardless if they are on benefits or on salary or on both.

HB will very rarely pay out the total amount of rent if the rent is due monthly so in the above case rent would still have to be paid from the tenant from other incomes. Also in the case of people on IS the full rent is usually paid anyway. SOme people where I live get £1400 a month in rent paid - fully!

I think the problem is more than just who it is paid to and how reliable the person on HB is. I had a nightmare with my old landlord, HB paid 4 weekly, which wouldn't always give me enough to cover the rent at the begining of the month. I never spent the HB but when weeks didn't match up would be short, and on IS had no other way to pay. Also claims notoriously can take time, or be problematic, stop altogether in error and take a long time to get reinstated. I'd say in 4 years on HB at least every 4 months there is an error and I'm underpaid. As such i have no way to pay, benefits are far less reliable in my experience than a salary, particuarly in my locality. As a result I don't blame my Dad and others who won't accept HB payments, if they get their rent late it affects them, and when the council is so well known for paying late, and there is a high demand for property in this area why take the risk? If HB paid monthly to landlords/tennant who required it, it would really help people. They calculate the 4 weekly figure fromt he monthly rate anyway, anyone know why they can't do it monthly?

Lil'H

peter999

lil'H wrote:

They calculate the 4 weekly figure fromt he monthly rate anyway, anyone know why they can't do it monthly?

I think it's because all their calculations/budgeting is on a weekly basis
and I think HB is paid every 2/4 weeks.

As I think most people pay rent monthly, it's ludicrous people can't be paid
monthly, if they want.

HB can still be paid direct to landlords if tenant wants, as far as I know.

peter999

Chrysalis

lil'H wrote:

I think the problem is more than just who it is paid to and how reliable the person on HB is. I had a nightmare with my old landlord, HB paid 4 weekly, which wouldn't always give me enough to cover the rent at the begining of the month. I never spent the HB but when weeks didn't match up would be short, and on IS had no other way to pay. Also claims notoriously can take time, or be problematic, stop altogether in error and take a long time to get reinstated. I'd say in 4 years on HB at least every 4 months there is an error and I'm underpaid. As such i have no way to pay, benefits are far less reliable in my experience than a salary, particuarly in my locality. As a result I don't blame my Dad and others who won't accept HB payments, if they get their rent late it affects them, and when the council is so well known for paying late, and there is a high demand for property in this area why take the risk? If HB paid monthly to landlords/tennant who required it, it would really help people. They calculate the 4 weekly figure fromt he monthly rate anyway, anyone know why they can't do it monthly?

Lil'H

True thats the main problem with HB at the moment its incredibly unreliable and slow to deal with new claims and problems, however HB tenants according to compiled data on average stay in properties much longer periods meaning less void periods for the landlord. Were you relying on HB to pay your whole rent and none of it from your IS? even on maximum reward unless your rent is 4 weekly the cheques wont cover your entire rent.

Chrysalis

peter999 wrote:

I think it's because all their calculations/budgeting is on a weekly basis
and I think HB is paid every 2/4 weeks.

As I think most people pay rent monthly, it's ludicrous people can't be paid
monthly, if they want.

HB can still be paid direct to landlords if tenant wants, as far as I know.

peter999

they can yeah but the problem here is (a) the chances are the HB wont cover the rent so the tenant still needs to pay the landlord manually anyway for the amount leftover and (b) alot of HB claimants probably havent told the landlord they on benefits since so many dont like dss tenants so keep it transperent.