Tenant with housing benefit

marleyboy

Its still the same process JohnathanJ, that is to the point and a darn good post.

Rabster8

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

A landlord might threaten the tenant with eviction within 28 days but it could not be enforced during anything like that time-scale. That is why I considered your advice as poor, misleading and inaccurate and should therefore not be relied upon

Ridiculous logic.
Most actions cannot be easily or quickly enforced but that shouldnt stop people from making requests or even demands, just because to follow them up would take a lot of time and effort.

Rabster8

JonathanJ wrote: »

The last time we moved we made an agreement with the letting agent and landlord that I would make no effort to pay up the difference and the moment I fell into arrears they would sent me an eviction notice and start charging me all kinds of fees for late payments and reminder letters.
One month in when the council still hadn’t even looked at our claim and we went into arrears I started getting the letters and warnings, I took the down to the council, two days later the claim was done and the landlord had all his money. The even paid the fees as it was their fault I was charged them.

Otherwise known as "defrauding the taxpayer"

Morglin

socrates wrote: »

The key words there are "Housing Association" NOT "Private Landlord"

And for the earlier poster who did not want to mention the private firm that deals with claims and seem to request the same information over and over again - I will name them:

"CAPITA"

The same outfit that messed up CRB's and Passports but yet they continue to get contract after contract from the government!!

The one that causes absolute chaos with claims around many areas, including this one, is "Liberata".

They are hopeless, absolutely hopeless.:mad::mad:

Pensioners etc., end up getting eviction notices, which frightens many of them, simply because this firm seem totally incapable of dealing with even a simple claim.

Lin

lfckerry

Thanks for all the replies guys. i have decided to wait untill the 20th of Jan. if no payment received by then, i will issue the S8 which will hopefully give them a kick up the !!!!

marleyboy

Do let us all know how you get on lfckerry

Geenie

theartfullodger wrote: »

lfckerry....

A smart cookie like you will be aware that the council are handing out our (us the tax-payers) money to the tenant/yourself... and I'm sure you're grateful for our largesse and kindness to you..

- Most councils have been told by those nice ConDems to reduce spend/headcount by 7% pa for 4 years (yup, it's a big number..)... 3 points
a) Morale amongst council staffs dropped even lower... a surprising number think thay may lose their jobs...
b) Councils have been looking to where they can cut headcount/reduce paying money out: Hey presto! Chop HB/LHA payment dept numbers & save money both on people & payments!!!
c) HB/LHA rates set to be chopped further shortly....

Cheers!

Artful (Landlord since 2000)

Not just the money but property as well.

We had a new one on us last week. Tenant had left last October, having given notice after a 6 months AST because she wanted to move out. Moved back with family, had a baby, and has now been chucked out by family, so wanting council housing I assume?!

Council contact us to guage if we had evicted her and she had rights to be back in our property, and wanted to know the exact wording of the AST? The tenant wasn't involved in this by the way, and was very apologetic when she found out, but the Council were clearly looking at a way of getting her back in the property, which is now let to others.

It has to be said that the Council woman was reasonable and we knew our rights. But it showed they are struggling to cope with the demand on their resources, wether financial or bricks and mortar, and are looking at the private sector to take a hit where they can get away with it. It has certainly made us question renting to HB tenants in the future.

Wee_Willy_Harris

Geenie wrote: »

Not just the money but property as well.

We had a new one on us last week. Tenant had left last October, having given notice after a 6 months AST because she wanted to move out. Moved back with family, had a baby, and has now been chucked out by family, so wanting council housing I assume?!

Council contact us to guage if we had evicted her and she had rights to be back in our property, and wanted to know the exact wording of the AST? The tenant wasn't involved in this by the way, and was very apologetic when she found out, but the Council were clearly looking at a way of getting her back in the property, which is now let to others.

It has to be said that the Council woman was reasonable and we knew our rights. But it showed they are struggling to cope with the demand on their resources, wether financial or bricks and mortar, and are looking at the private sector to take a hit where they can get away with it. It has certainly made us question renting to HB tenants in the future.

October was only 3 months ago so the tenant must have known she was pregnant. LA's have a duty to ensure that any public resource is used efficiently and fairly. Seems that they were trying to establish if she had made herself intentionally homeless or, if the property could still be available for her to occupy, not homeless at all. As long as landlords act in accorcance with the legislation, it shouldn't be a problem for them. I think that should be the minimum expectation, don't you?

Oh, and you don't need to be on benefits to apply as homeless, so they would have done the same even if she wasn't on HB.

morganslv

Be very careful, do not whatever you do get housing benefit paid to you.

Make sure it goes to the tenant then he sets up a standing order to you.

What if it turns out your tenant has some secret money invested somewhere? If this is found out about and they lied on their HBenefit application then YOU have to pay back all the rent you received. You could then chase your tenant for it but they will prob do a runner.

theartfullodger

SlinkySelina wrote: »

Housing Benefit Regulations are law, councils cant just ignore them if they feel like it.

Just like nobody drives at over 70mph in the UK eh??

Just like councils always make required repairs to council housing promptly & correctly??

Just like pot-holes get spotted & filled in before anyone damages their cars so no council ever pays out for a punctured tyre or bent wheel??

Just like councils always grit roads & clear snow as required??

Just like all council always take their responsibilities to the homeless seriously and never employ "gatekeeping" techniques to avoid doing what they are legally obliged to (A large council at a very old university town in southern England was not long ago giving anyone presenting as homeless a rail ticket to somewhere far away...)

Just like councils never get taken to court for mismanaging their properties & tenants?? e.g. White v Lambeth LBC (1995), paid £18k damages for loss of secure tenancy..

Dunno what you're smoking, but it ain't tobacco...