Tenant with housing benefit

marleyboy

Excellent news lfkerry

Wee_Willy_Harris

Regardless of the source of the rental payments, Tenants should act like tenants and landlords should simply act like landlords. If the tenant is in +2 months arrears, issue a S8 notice. Tenant takes this along to the LHA dept and gets her claim pushed to the top of the pile. It may seem unfair, but one reason for the delay with the OPs case will be that the LHA are dealing with those claimants at risk of eviction as a priority.

lfckerry

frustrated is not the word....
just rang the housing to see how the claim had gone and to see how much i would be receiving and when.
they are paying me 8 weeks worth of arrears on the 14th of Feb as apparently 'i' missed the payment cycle for this month,me??? what a joke!
so when i get paid on the 14th,the tenant will still be 2 months in arrears. i despair i really do.
the woman on the phone was worse than useless.
not sure what to do now,thinking if i go down the eviction route they may pay me quicker,any suggestions welcome

tamarto

I agree with WWH, the council will only get a move on if the tennant is at risk of being evicted.

marleyboy

I dont think you have any more choices, at least if the tenant tells them that you are threatening eviction they should speed up he process.

If they claim the back rent is a result of missing a cycle, does this mean that they will still backdate it at the next cycle? If not, it really is upto the tenant to make alternative arrangement for the arrears.

As has been said, its really not your problem, its down to the tenant. Your a Landlord renting out a property to a tenant, as such it matters NOT to you how the tenant pays their rent, so long as it is paid.

lfckerry

Tenant is going to the housing office today will see what happens.
so can i go straight in with a section 8 notice then? am i correct in saying this allows two weeks for payments to be made?

marleyboy

Assuming tenant gets no further with the housing today, I would issue a section 8 notice

A successful section 8 eviction notice will give the landlord the right to his property and to the rent in arrears. The process begins when the landlord, or his issue, serves the section 8 notice to the tenant. Upon notice the tenant has 14 days to pay the back rent or vacate the premises.

You might find some useful advice here -

http://www.ukevictions.co.uk/eviction_section_8.html

I will keep my fingers crossed it gives them the push to pay the arrears, rather than their "muck up" causing someone to lose a home. I can see why Private Landlords specifically say "No DSS".

tamarto

It will give them the push, councils are well up on how far they can push things, it doen't matter to them that this will be very stressful on the tennant and of course the LL It's the same with the end of a tennancy (making them wait until the bailiffs appear practically)

lfckerry

ok so if no news today i will issue S8 on Monday,that will make her 11 weeks in arrears.
will i be able to go to court on the 15th day,ie the 1st Feb?(im hoping it wont get that far)
anyone any ideas on the court costs?

lfckerry

another update...
tenant went to housing office.they told her i will be paid on the 20th of this month,apparently got a second and third opinion saying the same. not sure im convinced though i spoke to 2 people today who both told me it would be 14th Feb,aarrgghhhhh why cant they sing from the same hymn sheet???
so thinking i will wait till the 20th which is a week today,is this reasonable? but the wait just gets longer n longer and if i wait till the 20th with no money,there would be no point issuing an S8 then as it would be nearly the 14th by the time i can apply to court. god this is doing my head in