No landlords accepting HB locally

septemberblues

dseventy wrote: »

I am a LL and will not have LHA tenants!

If however the rent was paid directly to me then I would consider it, (along with a credit check, large deposit and a guarantor) which proves difficult for most LHA tenants.

I guess the issue with me is, you are handing over the use of a valuable asset and the person claiming LHA has no means on it paying it themselves and relies on others, changs to circumstances (hes not my boyfriend) or government legislation just rocks it all out of kilter.

Too much risk for insurance companies means too much risk for me!

Sorry.

D70

My daughter was only able to get a 2 bed house to rent (for her and her son) because we told the letting agent we would pay 6 months in advance, plus a month's deposit, and also £330 for their administration fee and credit check. (The rent is £580 pcm, HB pays £550)

The landlord was more than happy to agree to this, but we have to keep doing this until she is working again (she is in the Support Group, so we don't know when this will be), we pay every six months (and save HB to pay for the next 6 months). My only gripe is that the Letting Agency want £164 every time for "administration" - every six months!

We had tried loads of places for her to rent but nobody was interested until we offered the six months in advance, so luckily we are able to continue doing this, but it means her DLA is also saved so that £3000 can be paid back to me (that money is my "emergency fund"), part of an insurance payout for critical illness cover (for me). I'm not bothered about it but my dd wants to pay me back fully, bless her.

Sorry if it sounds complicated - it is!
But if there is any way of paying in advance it seems to be the only option to people on HB. Which I know is ridiculous and unfair but it was the only way my dd could rent something, she had been bidding for houses/flats with the local council but was 156 in line to get somewhere.

custardy

is HB now always paid to the claimant or is it at their discretion?
I know my EX got HB paid to her about 9 years ago (she was in a private let and didnt want them knowing she was unemployed)

lighting_up_the_chalice

willber wrote: »

In two ways. One, the council are likely to inform them and second there is, I believe, a question on all tenancy application forms to disclose if you are claiming HB. If you lie, you run the risk of being evicted.

The Council are very unlikely to tell them, unless the tenant gives their express permission to do so. And failure to disclose such a fact on a tenancy application form would be unlikely to secure an eviction.

willber wrote: »

I know that landlords vet their tenants using a credit reference agency and that the tenant's employer is asked to give a reference.

Some landlords, and some employers.

mikey_bach

willber wrote: »

I was single, 3 years into my first job with the Inland Revenue and had a salary of just over £1100 if my memory serves me right.

I subsequently purchased a second property (a place to stay whilst working away from home) in 1977 for £7800 (a fully converted weavers cottage).

get a grip :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
We only get just over that a month now in 2013 in the civil service

What were you doing in the Inland Revenue in 1977 to earn that amount ???

1977: Firefighters strike over pay claim. ... The firefighters eventually settled for a 10% increase, taking an average salary to just over £4,000,

Growurown

custardy wrote: »

is HB now always paid to the claimant or is it at their discretion?
I know my EX got HB paid to her about 9 years ago (she was in a private let and didnt want them knowing she was unemployed)

At the moment HB can be paid straight to the landlord if the claimant requests it. If a tenant doesn't pay their rent then the landlord can arrange to have it paid directly to them when the tenant gets in arrears. When Universal Credit comes in then HB will be paid to the claimant and they will be responsible for paying their own rent.

lighting_up_the_chalice

Growurown wrote: »

At the moment HB can be paid straight to the landlord if the claimant requests it. If a tenant doesn't pay their rent then the landlord can arrange to have it paid directly to them when the tenant gets in arrears. When Universal Credit comes in then HB will be paid to the claimant and they will be responsible for paying their own rent.

At the moment, HB paid on private rents cannot be paid direct to the landlord at the simple request of the tenant. It is, by default, paid direct to the tenant unless payment to the LL can be justified for reasons of vulnerability or risk of homelessness.

ComeTheRevolution

I'm in agreement with the post suggesting you advertise yourself as a good tennant with advance payment. Agencies cost everyone money and there May be a private LL who thinks outside the box and has a vacancy now. You'll knowto be very careful before handing prepayment over. As well as Gumtree there are specialist websites you can advertise on.

ComeTheRevolution

willber wrote: »

Trainee Inspector on approx £91 a month in 1967 not 1977 - following the family - uncle was the DI. I was on a lot more than that in 1977. I was seconded to Head Office and toured HMIT offices throughout the UK getting them out of the s**t. I used to be able to live off my exes and save my salary!

Fab Post. With the money available for advanced rent, the O/P could use it to invest in a tardis.

CKhalvashi

Growurown wrote: »

At the moment HB can be paid straight to the landlord if the claimant requests it. If a tenant doesn't pay their rent then the landlord can arrange to have it paid directly to them when the tenant gets in arrears. When Universal Credit comes in then HB will be paid to the claimant and they will be responsible for paying their own rent.

Not unless it's a Housing Association in our council.

There are, however, ways of getting around this by bank details, however the claimant can change this.

CK

missapril75

ComeTheRevolution wrote: »

Fab Post. With the money available for advanced rent, the O/P could use it to invest in a tardis.

At least it would be bigger on the inside.