Tenants getting housing benefit

NoAngel

I recently decided to rent out our house while it's on the market to help with paying the mortgage (we live away at the moment). We specified no housing benefit applicants only and a young family moved in. The guy lost his job a few weeks later and subsequently hasn't paid any rent since. This was due on 1st Oct and again on 1st Nov.

He say they are entitled to housing benefit but I still haven't received anything. How long do these claims take and am I entitled to contact the housing benefit office myself and ask how much longer we have to wait? I can't support them rent free for much longer.

Trazy

I suppose it depends on where you are, my local council are very quick and I have heard of the first payment to be in the bank within 5 days.

Are you sure they aren't getting the benefit paid directly to them and not passing it on? It does happen

PippaGirl_2

I get HB and it was sorted immediately, payment in less than a week.

EPL

Trazy wrote: »

Are you sure they aren't getting the benefit paid directly to them and not passing it on? It does happen

That was my first thought as well. Housing benefit should be paid directly to the landlord in my opinion.

debrag

It's LHA not HB isn't it?

PippaGirl_2

It's HB, local housing allowance is just a set of figures saying how much the allowances are in a local area, housing benefit is the actual money.

PippaGirl_2

EPL wrote: »

That was my first thought as well. Housing benefit should be paid directly to the landlord in my opinion.

HB will currently usually go directly to the claimant unless the claimant is in social housing so the LA then pay themselves directly. There is currently an option where a claimant can request the benefit goes directly to the LL but this is not often used.

Once Universal Credit comes in all UC benefit will go direct to the claimant in one monthly lump sum so everyone will have to pay their landlords themselves.

Bettie

NoAngel wrote: »

I recently decided to rent out our house while it's on the market to help with paying the mortgage (we live away at the moment). We specified no housing benefit applicants only and a young family moved in. The guy lost his job a few weeks later and subsequently hasn't paid any rent since. This was due on 1st Oct and again on 1st Nov.

He say they are entitled to housing benefit but I still haven't received anything. How long do these claims take and am I entitled to contact the housing benefit office myself and ask how much longer we have to wait? I can't support them rent free for much longer.

Took 5 weeks to sort the first payment then a few weeks later had a bit more go in the bank. Was told when tenant is 8 weeks behind I can request payment direct to me. She never got 8 weeks behind and it ended up just 2weeks rent missing, no idea where it went. despite her coming with me to HB place and requesting it paid direct as she doesn't trust herself, they refused. never had the decency to send me a letter to tell me. They will not deal with me at all.:mad:

mcjordi

6week backlog with my local council . you could contact the council and ask how long a claim normally takes without mentioning names etc

WantToBeSE

At my local council, there is an 8 week wait, as they are so busy. Maybe call the HB office yourself and ask them.

DomRavioli

At my local council, its 13 weeks from all information and claim form being put in to actually receiving the benefit. As WantToBeSE says, call them and ask for their timescales.