Harrassment from LandLady what are my rights?

Werdnal

bonniesweetheart588 wrote: »

Right can I make something clear. We have moved majority of out belongings out of the property. We have a new place to live.

So you are planning to move out and leave your LL still owed £1500?

No doubt a court order for the arrears will follow, giving you a marker on your credit record!

The way you have been treated is nothing but a few threats and raised voices .... the way your LL has been treated is to provide you with accommodation and be £1500 out of pocket! I think you have come out of this relatively lightly TBH.

bonniesweetheart588

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

So ... Arrears have been building for 18 months. You gave birth 8 months ago, so underpayment of rent started around the time you fell pregnant. You were suffering from morning sickness that affected your work & income.

Was your income still substantial at that time, or didn't you think of trying to claim HB any earlier to try and help with the rent when your income fell? Who did you think would pay the shortfall at that point?

You also say that HB started payment in March. Were you not informed by the Council of how much you were being awarded, so that you could work out that there would be a shortfall?

You say there is "no way you could get the money together", and you also complain at the suggestion that you should sell your car. But just WHO do you think should pay your arrears? Why should the LL be out of pocket? It's not her fault you got pregnant, it's not her fault you couldn't afford the rent, it's not her fault you are in a property where the rent exceeds the HB award.

I was trying to do what I could to pay what I could, trying to cope with out getting help. Yeah I was guilty of being too proud. I had made an offer to the landlady to pay her back in smaller installments, which I would be able to afford, but I was told it wasnt enough. I dont expect anyone else to pay my debts, I've been suffering with post natal depression since my daughters birth, which has made it pretty difficult for me to handle things at the moment.

I complained at the suggestion of selling my car because of where we lived. How do you propose I was to take my daughter to school? Or get my food shopping?? Take my baby to the doctors for her check ups. I asked for advice not to be ridiculed like this..How do you propose I pay my rent arrears and feed my family on £50 a week??? seriously!!

bonniesweetheart588

G_M wrote: »

Indeed. She may be being rude, and possibly harassing you - but the landlady is substantially out of pocket. That is not her fault so I can understand her being miffed!

And now? You're moving out? And leaving her out of pocket?

She is kicking us out, gave us the choice between paying her £200 a month which she knew we couldn't afford and refusing a lower repayment amount.

We were given a choice, pay £200 a month, or move out.

real1314

bonniesweetheart588 wrote: »

Right can I make something clear. We have moved majority of out belongings out of the property. We have a new place to live. That isn't my issue. What is my issue is the way we have been treated. No there is no way we could get the money together. Basically the arrears have built up over the last year and a half of us living there, when I fell pregnant with my youngest, I suffered really badly with morning sickness up until 35 weeks and as a result of this, my wages were reduced significantly, leaving me with just enough to cover my rent each month. My husband was unable to find any work, so it was just me trying to work and make enough money.

and I would just like to stipulate billybear we werent living rent free, the rent was being paid by the council since march. The landlady failed to inform us of a shortfall between the amount the council were paying her, and how much she was asking. Hence hiking up our arrears over the months when we thought they were indeed being paid.

Councils always inform the tenant of the HB award. The tenant applies and the tenant is awarded.
So, you should have known there was a shortfall. Did you discuss it with the Landlord?

Then there's the fact that HB is actually paid to the tenant not to the Landlord. This has been the case since the LHA rules came in (approx 2008? maybe 2007).

The only way the Landlord is paid direct is if the tenant falls into 6 weeks arrears of rent when the HB has actually been paid for the same 6 weeks.

OP, you might be concerned with just the issue of treatment, but your attitude to rent arrears leads me to think that the LL is simply trying to sort out the problem of your making.

Your statements do not add up. Also, one person might see "demanding rent" as harrasment, but another might see it as enforcing the tenancy agreement. :cool:

bonniesweetheart588

Blackpool_Saver wrote: »

I do not believe that it was not possible to get the rent money so as not to fall into arrears...........loan/overdraft/credit card/even a pay day, you have to pay rent it's essential

I dont have a good enough credit rating to get a loan/overdraft/credit card. I'd already explored those options, and been refused, A pay day loan would have put me into bigger problems in the long run!!

Tigsteroonie

OP, you still owe the LL the arrears. I would suggest that you let her take you to court, and allow the court to decide on the repayment schedule given your current financial situation.

olly300

bonniesweetheart588 wrote: »

I dont have a good enough credit rating to get a loan/overdraft/credit card. I'd already explored those options, and been refused, A pay day loan would have put me into bigger problems in the long run!!

This is why a poster pointed out your statements don't add up.

I suggest you go over to the Debt Free Wannabe board on this site and post the truth so people can help you sort out your situation. As they are all have either in debt or been there they won't judge you as long as you tell the truth.

ognum

bonniesweetheart588 wrote: »

Right can I make something clear. We have moved majority of out belongings out of the property. We have a new place to live. That isn't my issue. What is my issue is the way we have been treated. No there is no way we could get the money together. Basically the arrears have built up over the last year and a half of us living there, when I fell pregnant with my youngest, I suffered really badly with morning sickness up until 35 weeks and as a result of this, my wages were reduced significantly, leaving me with just enough to cover my rent each month. My husband was unable to find any work, so it was just me trying to work and make enough money.

and I would just like to stipulate billybear we werent living rent free, the rent was being paid by the council since march. The landlady failed to inform us of a shortfall between the amount the council were paying her, and how much she was asking. Hence hiking up our arrears over the months when we thought they were indeed being paid.

Sorry but I dont understand! As your husband was unable to find work why did you not return to work and let your husband care for your children At least you would have had one full time wage coming in to use to pay your rent

It may not have been your prefered option but in order to run your car pay for your food and pay your rent this seems to be the best option

I think if I was the landlady I would have been surprised you didnt do this/gone for eviction when you were two months in arrears/ been extremely fed up and I wouldnt have paid anyone to clip the hedge if you didnt pay the rent

Everytime someone has come up with a question asking why you didnt do something you have come up with a poor excuse as to why 'its not your fault ' well sadly for you we all have to become resposible for our actions and unfortunately you will probably not get ptivate rented housing again

The landlady should not bully you but you do have to pay her!

bonniesweetheart588

I havent been able to go back to work due to my post natal depression, hence the reason why I'm on benefit now.

bonniesweetheart588

real1314 wrote: »

Councils always inform the tenant of the HB award. The tenant applies and the tenant is awarded.
So, you should have known there was a shortfall. Did you discuss it with the Landlord?

Then there's the fact that HB is actually paid to the tenant not to the Landlord. This has been the case since the LHA rules came in (approx 2008? maybe 2007).

The only way the Landlord is paid direct is if the tenant falls into 6 weeks arrears of rent when the HB has actually been paid for the same 6 weeks.

OP, you might be concerned with just the issue of treatment, but your attitude to rent arrears leads me to think that the LL is simply trying to sort out the problem of your making.

Your statements do not add up. Also, one person might see "demanding rent" as harrasment, but another might see it as enforcing the tenancy agreement. :cool:

As we were in arrears, I requested that the rent be paid directly to the landlady. What I viewed as harrassment was blocking me from taking my daughter to school, and turning up un announced without the 24 hours notice that the tennancy agreement said she had to give us.