Housing benefit claim rejected by Bromley council

BigAunty

Shelter can help you understand your housing rights, plus it has a section on homelessness if your landlord gives you notice.

I wasn't aware that landlords are contacted when a tenant applies for LHA - payment is now made directly to tenants. Shelter should be able to help you. See if they've got a drop in office local to you or give their helpline a call.

The Citizens Advice Bureau can help you with a housing benefit appeal if you get rejected or help you complete the forms.

If you have submitted all relevant info to the council and they haven't processed your claim after 2 weeks, you can ask for an interim housing benefit payment.

Contact your local MP about the issues you are having claiming housing benefit. Make them aware that the delays and additional information required from the landlord when he won't supply it (and probably doesn't need to) is causing you poverty and is leading to your homelessness.

pmlindyloo

You need to get down to Bromley Housing Department on Monday and find out what is happening as regards your HB application and explain the situation face to face.

If you get your HB (which should be backdated) then you can tell your landlord and see if he will allow you to stay.

If your LL is admant that you cannot stay then you need to register yourself as homeless and find out what help is available. They may have a list of places where the LLs accept people receiving HB.

If you have to go the 'homeless' route then the council will probably have a Tenancy Deposit Scheme where they guarantee (no money exchanged) your deposit.

I can see no reason for you not to get HB if you have no income and no savings.

Have you checked what your entitlement is for Housing Allowance?

Visit Bromley Council website and find out what they can do for you if you are unable to find a place yourself.

Ruscik12

Well first step visit Bromley HB office.

HappyMJ

Ruscik12 wrote: »

Well first step visit Bromley HB office.

Whilst you are there ask for a payment on account. They should be able to advance you the money to pay the rent then figure out exactly what you are entitled to later.

Ruscik12

HappyMJ wrote: »

Whilst you are there ask for a payment on account. They should be able to advance you the money to pay the rent then figure out exactly what you are entitled to later.

Thx will do.

fluffymovie

These questions are the sorts of ones we ask when we are concerned the tenancy is non commercial. Usually the application form says we won't contact your landlord in most circumstances but if it's considered necessary to verify the tenancy, we can contact them without your permission.

Regulation 73 says that you have to provide all documents reasonably required. If your landlord won't provide information, they could decline your claim but you could appeal although if taken to tribunal, could be around 12 month wait

Runningwithscissors

'Payment on account' would not happen in these circumstances, and is much misunderstood. They have made a decision on your claim, and that decision is that you are not entitled - so you can not have 'payment on account'. You need to go to the Council HB offices and appeal against the decision to not award you HB. It sounds like they have decided that your tenancy is not a commercial one - did you write on your form that your landlord was a friend, or anything like that? This is why they have asked these questions. Your L/L has not helped by refusing to help you! All he needed to do was to reply to the letter honestly, and then your HB claim would probably have been paid.

Ruscik12

Ok had a chat with them and lady I spoke to filled in the appeal for me.

She was read my folder and said that it appears I did not deliver JSA letter and landlord did not deliver reply to letter sent to him.

She said the landlord part should not be a problem as I did deliver my contract and they know he is the owner of the property and has other properties. In regards of JSA they can see I attend the meets and am looking for a job and they can see that my documents were lost so process had to be restarted. She said he would have not refused it if it was her but rather grant it on condition I deliver JSA letter as soon as I get it.

She made a nice note on file, filled in the appeal with correct details and fast-tracked the application saying I should get a reply early next week but it will be in the system today. We will see. Light in the tunnel.