Housing benefits query

Runningwithscissors

The regulations were changed many times - HB used to pay the whole rent, and then it went to the Rent Officer's decision plus half of any shortfall, and then just to the Rent Officer's decision (from what I remember!). A landlord can charge what they like for their property, but HB will only pay so much, so it may be that if you are receiving HB, then you cannot afford to live in some properties. A landlord can up the rent for a long term tenant, but the HB would not necessarily increase (depending upon the scheme that the tenant is on etc.). So the landlord would in effect be making the property unaffordable and the tenant would have to pay the shortfall out of their meagre income or find somewhere cheaper and move.

Runningwithscissors

.....of course, in the event that you are a tenant not claiming HB who suddenly becomes unemployed or whose income decreases and you have to claim HB, there would be no restriction in rent for 13 weeks (providing that you could afford the property when you moved in, and you haven't claimed HB in the past 52 weeks - this includes other areas). After the 13 weeks, the LHA rate would come into affect. This regulation was made, I believe, to give people time to move to somewhere cheaper.