HB and letting agents

Vader123

annies_mum wrote: »

i couldn't agree more, its the stereo type yet again, thinking we are slobs who will trash the place. our house we live in now is used on the agents website with pictures inside and out, plus we want a long let which must be like gold dust.

I don't know if this is aimed at me?

My point is that where I am rental demand is huge, so I can be picky and have all the criteria I want for a tenant.

That is employed and good credit history.

If there was poor demand I would lower it, but I don't have to, so I won't!

Vader

Orville

Vader123 wrote: »

I don't know if this is aimed at me?

My point is that where I am rental demand is huge, so I can be picky and have all the criteria I want for a tenant.

That is employed and good credit history.

If there was poor demand I would lower it, but I don't have to, so I won't!

Vader

Vader just out of interest as i am on HB and rent. When i was looking i experienced a few landlords that would not take HB because of their insurance. (One such person who i wanted to rent from is still advertising and has lowered his rent by £50 a month.) What is the difference in insurance prices for a landlord to have a HB tennant compared to one who doesen't..

Vader123

Orville wrote: »

Vader just out of interest as i am on HB and rent. When i was looking i experienced a few landlords that would not take HB because of their insurance. (One such person who i wanted to rent from is still advertising and has lowered his rent by £50 a month.) What is the difference in insurance prices for a landlord to have a HB tennant compared to one who doesen't..

It can be a condition of BTL mortgages (Buy to Let) and/or a condition of buildings insurance not to rent to people who rely on benefits to pay their rent.

Add to this the fact that HB used to be paid direct to LLs and now the claiment, its just not worth the risk.

This article sums some problems up renting to people who rely on others to pay their way (ie the state)

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/mortgages-and-homes/buy-to-let/article.html?in_article_id=509346&in_page_id=56

Vader

annies_mum

Vader123 wrote: »

I don't know if this is aimed at me?

My point is that where I am rental demand is huge, so I can be picky and have all the criteria I want for a tenant.

That is employed and good credit history.

If there was poor demand I would lower it, but I don't have to, so I won't!

Vader

I don't aim things at anyone, if it was aimed at you i can assure you you would know!
i was saying i totally agree there is a preconcieved idea of a HB tenant. And before i became a HB tenant i would have probably had the same idea's and in all fairness some HB tenants think because their rent is "free" it entitles them to trash the place, which of course it doesn't.
While i am on the subject, i think (i'm sure many will disagree) that some of the rules of LHA are totally wrong.
They pay the tenant to pay the landlord, i know this is to encourage management of ones own money. But again the idea that HB tenants are beer swilling tv watchers conjours up in the mind of the landlord and extra few hundred quid in the claiments pocket to spend on fags and booze.
I know everyone should be able to manage to pay the rent and i'm sure most people on HB do, but its hard enought to get a LL to accept HB without telling them they have to rely on the tenant to hand it over.
i for one would be very glad to see direct payments to LL brought back in.

clb776

I don't see why it makes any difference personally and it is totally unfair. When we moved into a previous property, I had a very well paid job and my partner also worked too, unfortunately I was made redundant. I got a new much lower paid job pretty quickly (started within a week). The same time my partners hours were cut. We struggled with what we had and made do. Then I got pregnant, and when went on maternity leave had to claim housing benefit to cover the shortfall. I never told the landlord this. We then moved out because it was not suitable for a baby and nothing was said.

Then came the problems, trying to find somewhere to live (didnt find somewhere before as previous ll wanted us to renew and we couldnt so had to get out basically). I had a job but I was on maternity leave, no one would take us (hb would be claimed to cover shortfall, not much, about £40 a week out of £160 rent), we lived with parents, friends, anyone who would have us really for a while because no where we went to see took us, or if they did someone else always came along who was more suitable, it took us over 1 year to find somewhere to live (in this time I had actually lost my job which made it alot harder), we got very desperate and this was the cheapest place that would accept us, alot of the 'cheaper' ones were very fussy about it all.

Once I went to see a house, loved it, we were actually accepted by the landlord, we went to the office to pay our deposit and were told that someone better had come along and the landlord was happier with those, about 5 months later I got a phone call (the agency knew I was still looking as was still in contact) and went and had a look. The house had been destroyed, and was told they had moved as had been raided on numerous times for drugs. Needless to say I didn't want the house, its still there and this was all about 3 and a half months ago. Come uppence!!!

Hopefully you will find a house with a landlord who will look past the word benefit and see the situation rather than a label. Good luck.

Vader123

clb776 wrote: »

Hopefully you will find a house with a landlord who will look past the word benefit and see the situation rather than a label. Good luck.

Speaking as a LL, its not the word "benefit", its the fact that you know the tenant can't pay the rent without someone else helping.

At least half of people on benefits get into arrears at some point.

If someone else is giving them the money to pay their rent, and they are still getting behind (more thna half of them) whats the incentive!

Vader

Perr

I can understand both sides of this. I have been with 2 Private Landlords first on on HB where I am now on LHA, I have lived here now for 2 years ,I had good references and they were both happy to have me due to problems they had in the past with bad tenents. The Landlord I am now with is highly delighted with the transformation I have made to the flat since I have been here, The only time I have had to contact him for a repair has been about the tiles on the roof, any small jobs I sort out myself. I am well know in the area and 3 different Landlrds have shown me the inside of properties when they have been trashed by drug users and alcoholics, and I can see the differance between these people and a decent person even if they are finding it hard to find the money, due to unforseen employment problems. Please do not class everyone the same.

annies_mum

Vader123 wrote: »

Speaking as a LL, its not the word "benefit", its the fact that you know the tenant can't pay the rent without someone else helping.

At least half of people on benefits get into arrears at some point.

If someone else is giving them the money to pay their rent, and they are still getting behind (more thna half of them) whats the incentive!

Vader

I totally agree which is why i think the HB should be paid directly to the LL, it takes away the risk for LL and gives more people on HB the chance of homes. In doing so gives the decent folk a chance of decent homes and a chance to show that we make extremly responsible tenants.

gizmo111

Vader123 wrote: »

Speaking as a LL, its not the word "benefit", its the fact that you know the tenant can't pay the rent without someone else helping.

At least half of people on benefits get into arrears at some point.

If someone else is giving them the money to pay their rent, and they are still getting behind (more thna half of them) whats the incentive!

Vader

The main reason people get into arrears is that LL want the rent a month in advance and LHA is paid fortnightly in arrears, for this reason they can never catch up. For this reason my tenant on LHA pays me fortnightly when they receive the LHA and have never missed a payment, keep the house lovely and have just signed up for another year.

Vader123

gizmo111 wrote: »

The main reason people get into arrears is that LL want the rent a month in advance and LHA is paid fortnightly in arrears, for this reason they can never catch up. .

See this is the problem!

Most people can cobble together a modest deposit and a months rent in advance if they are serious about renting my house.

They can borrow from family, save, even take advantage of rent deposit schemes! Its what "working folk" do, so why is it any different for those that rely on others to pay for the roof over their head!

It takes a lot longer than a months rent to evict, so that deposit is needed!

After that I am reliant on the poorest of society putting the rent above other things on their life, be it a drug addiction or their next holiday! Not worth it in my opinion.

Vader