Not sure what to do

theartfullodger

evoke wrote: »

...........

Landlords are generally heartless scum of the earth benefitting from limitless LHA, courtesy of taxpayers. They are vile, greedy opportunists who are capitalising on New Labour's benefits-for-life policies.

Cheers mate!!! Best wishes.

evoke wrote: »

"you sound a bit bitter and it just sounds like you were looking for revenge because your complaints weren't getting anywhere"

Artful

evoke

LOL.

Show me a landlord who rents a property out through kindness. If it's not sheer greed and the ease with which taxpayers money is going straight into the pockets of landlords, then what is it?

LHA is the worst benefit of all.

Macro_3

Her benefit doesn't sound correct. If she has not claimed housing benefit in the 52 week prior to this claim and if she was able to afford the rent previously (from what you've said, this would appear to be the case) she should get 13-week protection for her rent. Her benefit should be unrestricted for the first 13 weeks of her claim, so she should get the full £350pcm. That's assuming that her only income is Jobseekers Allowance only and she lives alone. She should also be getting full council tax benefit alongside her housing benefit.

Obviously she would be left with nil rent/council tax (other than possibly two weeks of rent arrears because housing benefit is paid in arrears) and £55/week for food/bills.

Not much use to you or her in the long term, but if she can get her benefit correct then it might help with arrears in the short term whilst she finds a job or alternative accomodation.

xxmatt1980xx

The OP and her tenant's situation is something that's going to crop up more often after January when the single-room rate is increased from 25 to 35.

Accidental_Landlord_1

Macro wrote: »

Her benefit doesn't sound correct. If she has not claimed housing benefit in the 52 week prior to this claim and if she was able to afford the rent previously (from what you've said, this would appear to be the case) she should get 13-week protection for her rent. Her benefit should be unrestricted for the first 13 weeks of her claim, so she should get the full £350pcm. That's assuming that her only income is Jobseekers Allowance only and she lives alone. She should also be getting full council tax benefit alongside her housing benefit.

Obviously she would be left with nil rent/council tax (other than possibly two weeks of rent arrears because housing benefit is paid in arrears) and £55/week for food/bills.

Not much use to you or her in the long term, but if she can get her benefit correct then it might help with arrears in the short term whilst she finds a job or alternative accomodation.

I'm not sure if things are different because we are in Scotland or because she is under 25.

Accidental_Landlord_1

Well I met with the tenant today....

I gave her 2 options

1) If she goes at the end of September back to her parents she could walk away only owing me £180 (the outstanding amount of this months rent) and i get to keep the deposit as next months rent.

2) I could serve her with notice to quit which is 2 months notice and during this time she would be building up arrears.

She indicated that she didn't think it was viable to go back to her parent but would consider it.

She made contact with me tonight saying that going back to her parents was a definite no go due to overcrowding but her parents are willing to make up the shortfall of rent in the short term until she turns 25 OR she gets another job.

I have accepted this situation as I think it is the best all round. She has applied for discretionary housing payment and has appealed the LHA decision on the basis that she was not advised by them about the under 25 issue and was led to believe by the local authority that there shouldn't be any issues.

Will keep the thread updated.

Thank you to all who contributed. I may well get to sleep tonight :rotfl:

xxmatt1980xx

Accidental_Landlord_1 wrote: »

her parents are willing to make up the shortfall of rent in the short term until she turns 25 OR she gets another job.

Be careful with this. The shared-room rate goes up to 35 in January.

purplelila-2007

Accidental_Landlord_1 wrote: »

I don't even know the legalities of this - can you do that? I just can't get my head round the fact that I would be kicking her when she is down but I know that shouldn't come in to it. I feel terrible taking the £165 off her tomorrow but the mortgage needs to be paid but am worrying that this will leave her without food. I am considering making up a small parcel of basics but can't decide if thats nice or cheeky? I am not loaded by any stretch of the imagination and am not making money out of the situation but I would like to think that someone would help me out if I was stuck.

Do it - it's not being cheeky at all . It'll mean a lot to her .