LHA has been reduced so going to struggle - what's my best option?

SuzieSue

Just ignore the nasty, judgemental people on here. I can't begin to imagine how I would cope with only half of everything that you have been through. You are doing a great job, however, I think that you should try to move to a 2 bedroom property so that you aren't struggling so much financially.

Graham_Devon

First thing is you can't really get lodgers, or rent out any part of the house, including parking spaces etc.

Firstly, it's the landlords property, and that could get complicated. Secondly, you are receiving LHA, so you couldn't continue to claim LHA while renting out rooms that LHA pays for.

Secondly, it's up to you what house you rent out. You get an LHA payment, if you can top up that, that's up to you. Your problem is it doesn't seem you can.

So the only options left, are talk to your landlord and try to get a reduction. May or may not go for it. Many landlords are going to find themselves in this situation. If the landlord is switched on, he'll realise cutting your rent by £50 a month may be a better option than letting you go. Afterall, one single month where he has no tenants, and he/she has lost the same money as he would if he/she reduced the rent.....plus, saved themselves all the hassles or finding new tenants etc.

Other option if he doesn't go for it, is find somewhere cheaper. Everyone has to take this decision, and cut their cloth. You say 2 beds are only £25-50 cheaper, but at the end of the day that's your problem sorted.

gadgeteer_2

I must say that some posters here do take the pi$$.

OP hasn't said "OMG my housing benefit is being reduced, nasty Tories. It's not fair <stamps feet>, how can I screw more money out of the system?" She's asked simply for opinions of which of the 3 options she should take and if anyone might have a suggestion she's not thought of. In fact, one of the options she's mentioned is moving to a 2 bed and from what she's said, it doesn't seem to make practical sense.

The state of the benefits system is hardly OP's fault. If you don't have anything constructive to say, either stay quiet or pop into Discussion Time and have a rant there.

And before anyone says it, I'm not remotely a benefits brigade socialist bleeding heart liberal. Quite the opposite. But there's a time & a place and in this board, I thought the aim was to give practical advice.

Laurenj22

Hi

I hope you find a solution to your current problem. If you need any further advice with regards to housing benefit I have knowledge of the regulations and will try and help

ThomasCrocker

Thankyou for this! Helped me a lot!

tiggerjj

I think you should keep on at the CSA, I find it unfair that the father is contributing so little. I also think that if you can not afford the larger house than your basic needs, look for a smaller one, take your time and you will find something that is smaller with cheaper rent and that should help a lot. You have some time for this.

Also for calling the CSA, check out saynoto0870.com maybe you can find another number and not have the big bill each time. They have the numbers for most companies....

Alleycat

As a couple of other posters have said, your LHA shouldn't be reduced immediately. You will have 9 months from the anniversary date of your current LHA claim before your LHA will reduce. Have you had any notification from your Housing Benefit office that your LHA is being reduced from this month? If so, you need to get in contact asap as this is wrong.

Given that your debt is only £1500 now, I would assume that you are hoping to have it clear in the not too distant future. So the important question is what month does your LHA get reviewed each year?

In the meantime, you could approach your landlord in the next couple of months (before your current tenancy expires) and explain that your LHA rate will be decreasing which will leave a shortfall that you will struggle to afford. Asking that the landlord consider reducing or at least freezing your rent when your tenancy expires. Be careful though as you don't want your landlord to start worrying that you are going to fall into rent arrears.

evoke

Cuba_Cat wrote: »

- LHA rate should be zero? Really? What planet are you on, seriously? Do you really want to see thousands of people who are genuinely trying to make ends meet, dumped onto the streets with their kids because they can’t afford to pay the rent due to their low wages? If wages were a bit higher, the government wouldn’t need to subsidise those on low salaries with tax credits, housing benefit and the like. My company hasn’t given any pay rises at all for the last 4 years, not even a rate of inflation rise, but I know I’m lucky to have a job in the current climate and am grateful for that. As I said above, even on a full time wage, I couldn’t make ends meet and still relied on tax credits to help pay my rent and bills. Rents (not to mention house prices) are also extremely high at the current time. There isn’t a lot I can do about that. I either live in a rental property and claim some LHA to help pay the rent, or my son and I are homeless. No brainer really, isn't it?

Jeez.

I haven't had a pay rise for 5 years. Life's tough but I don't feel that i'm entitled to dip into the pockets of other taxpayers so that I can continue to live in my property.

It's not about being made homeless. If you can't afford a 3-bed house then benefits should fund you living in a hostel - that was things were before New Labour opened the benefits taps. How is it fair that others have to work to pay for their properties and you get yours (partially) paid for?

Benefits should be just enough for people to get by on in times of extreme need. These days they are an alternative to work.

Brb

evoke. The benefits paid to hostels is probably double what her current rent is. I'm late 30s now but when I was 17 I lived in a hostel for the homeless. I also went to college full-time and in the evenings worked. My rent was £83 per week and that's some 20 years ago! I would dread to think of the cost now.

LHA rates have fallen in some areas where rents themselves have fallen on a whole and nothing to do with the new 30% rules.

It's a massive problem facing some LLs. We have thousands upon thousands of tenants up and down the country. Are they all to move ? and move where ? and who exactly are going to occupy the property now that it is out of the grasp of LHA claimants ?

On another forum I read of a LL that has served 100 Ts S21s. Erm are there another 100 Ts out there that will occupy these properties ?

Blacksheep1979

honestly you do seem to just be finding problems rather than solutions. If it's not handed to you then it doesn't seem to be good enough...