Council disclosed information to landlord

lolly22

I recently moved house and had to change the address for my local housing allowance/housing benefit. I made sure I ticked the box saying I didn't want my landlord to be contacted about this.
A couple of weeks later my landlord tells me he has received a letter from the council saying I am claiming housing benefit and asking him to contact them.
I went in to see them today and told them how annoyed I was that they contacted my landlord and she said I have the right to put a complaint in because that's wrong, and handed me a form to fill out.

Does anyone have any advice on this matter and what I should put on the complaint?

Emmzi

"You divulged information to my landlord when I asked you not to.

I ticked the box to say not to.

I have suffered a loss of my home/ something financial/ a mild annoyance

I would like you to rectify this by.... (sending me a camel/ running naked round the town hall/ sending me a tenner) and confirming what steps you have taken to prevent recurrence for me or other users."

sunnyone

lolly22 wrote: »

I recently moved house and had to change the address for my local housing allowance/housing benefit. I made sure I ticked the box saying I didn't want my landlord to be contacted about this.
A couple of weeks later my landlord tells me he has received a letter from the council saying I am claiming housing benefit and asking him to contact them.
I went in to see them today and told them how annoyed I was that they contacted my landlord and she said I have the right to put a complaint in because that's wrong, and handed me a form to fill out.

Does anyone have any advice on this matter and what I should put on the complaint?

You want to claim LHA/HB so they have to make sure you are renting such and such a home for such and such per week, how did you think they would verify your rent and tenancy?

When you pay your own rent you can be private but when you want benefits to pay it you cant, benefits dont work on trust in general as people can tell lies, many people seem happy to defraud the benefits system so need must be checked.

john539

sunnyone wrote: »

You want to claim LHA/HB so they have to make sure you are renting such and such a home for such and such per week, how did you think they would verify your rent and tenancy?

When you pay your own rent you can be private but when you want benefits to pay it you cant, benefits dont work on trust in general as people can tell lies, many people seem happy to defraud the benefits system so need must be checked.

They do what they have always done, they check the tenancy agreement, proof of rent payment & other information.

And they can visit them at home.

Macro_3

sunnyone wrote: »

You want to claim LHA/HB so they have to make sure you are renting such and such a home for such and such per week, how did you think they would verify your rent and tenancy?

When you pay your own rent you can be private but when you want benefits to pay it you cant, benefits dont work on trust in general as people can tell lies, many people seem happy to defraud the benefits system so need must be checked.

The LA should not inform a landlord that a tenant is claiming benefit unless they have permission to do so - it's a breach of the data protection act. Just because a tenant is entitled to benefit, does not mean they lose their right to privacy.

Some landlords evict once they realise that a tenant is in receipt of benefit.

cakey

Macro wrote: »

The LA should not inform a landlord that a tenant is claiming benefit unless they have permission to do so - it's a breach of the data protection act. Just because a tenant is entitled to benefit, does not mean they lose their right to privacy.

Some landlords evict once they realise that a tenant is in receipt of benefit.

i'm sorry this may go down like a lead fart, but the landlord would have every right to evict the tenant if they did not disclose they are receiving HB/LHA. i am a landlord myself and it is against my insurance and mortgage to let to those of benefits. if anything happened to my house, i would not be covered.if the OP hasn't disclosed this they are being very irresponsible and deceptive.

john539

cakey wrote: »

it is against my insurance and mortgage to let to those of benefits. if anything happened to my house, i would not be covered.if the OP hasn't disclosed this they are being very irresponsible and deceptive.

What does it say in your insurance & mortgage ?

DaisyFlower

I think that it should be automatic to advise the landlord re a HB/LHA claim. Lots of mortgage and insurance companies wont cover tennants on this benefit and to not advise the landlord could have serious consequences for him/her. Its not the tennants asset to risk.

john539

DaisyFlower wrote: »

I think that it should be automatic to advise the landlord re a HB/LHA claim. Lots of mortgage and insurance companies wont cover tennants on this benefit and to not advise the landlord could have serious consequences for him/her. Its not the tennants asset to risk.

Where does it say that & what does it say ?

peainapod

sunnyone wrote: »

You want to claim LHA/HB so they have to make sure you are renting such and such a home for such and such per week, how did you think they would verify your rent and tenancy?

When you pay your own rent you can be private but when you want benefits to pay it you cant, benefits dont work on trust in general as people can tell lies, many people seem happy to defraud the benefits system so need must be checked.

This is wrong. If that was the case why would they have a box for you to tick to say you don't want them contacting the landlord ???
Also They check your tenancy by you taking an original copy there signed by the landlord.

cakey

john539 wrote: »

What does it say in your insurance & mortgage ?

i'll have to find my policy document to get the exact wording, but it is an exclusion under my buy to let that, unless authorised by the lender to let to HB or LHA. IT must be a private professional let. With my insurance it asks when quoting do i let to HB or LHA applicants, i stated no. if this is not the case they do not cover you under your insurance