Bedroom Tax, late to the party and didn't bring a bottle!

Sir_Pac

Dunroamin wrote: »

If you can't afford it, you need to consider downsizing or getting a lodger.

Getting a lodger might be my best option as my intention is to keep the flat, I will have to ask Solihul Council if they allow this, and then look into it futher, thanks.

Sir_Pac

terryw wrote: »

Was the £6.10 rent for the dwelling or water rates?

My bad! Yep it's water rates...

Sir_Pac

Confuseddot wrote: »

Have you looked to see if there are any mutual exchanges etc available for you ?

It does seem a bit unfair to change the amount you are supposed to pay and not inform you, not sure who you could complain too though.

Thank you for your question Confuseddot. This only happened Monday 10th, and I haven't really had any time to fully look at my options.

All I know for sure is this. I was paying Solihul Council £6.10 a week, and now have to find an extra £19 week :-(

As for complaining, I try not too, as it's just wasted energy.

Sir_Pac

nannytone wrote: »

there would be no point in complaining.
the onus is always on the claimant to be aware of their benefit entitlement

I don't believe it is. Please prove me wrong!

I did recieve a Tenancy Card on the 1st April from Solihull Housing, and it clearly stated a Total due per week of £6.10 (at this point my account was £50+ in credit).

So if the onus WAS on me to be aware of my entitlements, then as of 1st April I was aware that I'd be expecting to pay £6.10 to Solihull Council every week.

Sir_Pac

londonbabe73 wrote: »

I advise you to apply for a discretionary housing payment ASAP if your lucky they will, backdate to April but to be honest have you been living under a rock not to know about the welfare reform ? , it appears most councils are paying 6 months of dhp payments to bedroom tax households but this is a short term payment and then your own your own ie from April the reality is you have to move or get a lodger or depending on your circumstances find employment sharpish FYI why are you paying for plastering on a rented property ? Surely that's the landlords responsibility ?

londonbabe73 wrote: »

to be honest have you been living under a rock not to know about the welfare reform ?

Not under a rock, in my flat Hand on heart, didn't know about the changes until Monday 10th June.

I beat depression by locking the world out, no TV or radio (and no letters from either Solihull Council or the Benefits Office regarding any changes)

I can genuinely plead ignorance of the changes - it's not an excuse - its the truth.

londonbabe73 wrote: »

why are you paying for plastering on a rented property ? Surely that's the landlords responsibility ?

Nope, I did ask for help with the repairs as the flat looks half-finished, they did give me a new front door, and replaced the kitchen door with a fire door.

I did the plastering myself, and the plaster wasn't expensive. I have so many more jobs to do around the flat, but not sure where I stand now, so will have to put it on hold.

(They did update the flat a few years ago with new heating system, and kitchen units, but ran out of money, that and problems with the sub-contractors who were doing the work, so the flat has looked like a building site for ages, didn't help my depression one little bit)

Horseunderwater

Lodge a complaint with Solihull council as they failed to send you the information needed about what your rent would be per week. Councils are supposed to tell people what the benefit reduction would be - as the 14% reduction would be different on each property type I should think. Especially where someone like you has a long term tenancy. After all if they did not tell you, how could you know?

Sir_Pac

iluvmarmite wrote: »

https://www.facebook.com/groups/262812757187644/

There you go.

This is a closed group is for those who are appealing, want to appeal, or have appealed the bedroom tax.

I don't think I'm at the stage where I'm considering appealing yet! I'm seeing someone at CAB friday morning, and then Soihul Housing Monday, only then will I know where I stand.

Good luck with the group - How's it going...

iluvmarmite

Yes it's a closed group that you request to join, there have been many successful appeals using info on the group, HB depts have now started telling tenants that they have no right of appeal or can't appeal which is total BS as everyone has the legal right of appeal, some councils are telling DLA claimants they have to use their DLA to pay the BT, again through the group, claimants have successfully overturned this as DLA is given for a specific purpose. So yea the groups doing well.

Hope you get sorted and you do have every right and reason to complain about not being told you had a reduction, if any one says to you that you should have known about the welfare reforms then that can't be used as any defence on their behalf because it's not the law you have to know about these things, they should have informed you that your housing benefit was being reduced, if you didn't know anything about it as far as you were concerned everything was as normal.

bloolagoon

iluvmarmite wrote: »

Yes it's a closed group that you request to join, there have been many successful appeals using info on the group, HB depts have now started telling tenants that they have no right of appeal or can't appeal which is total BS as everyone has the legal right of appeal, some councils are telling DLA claimants they have to use their DLA to pay the BT, again through the group, claimants have successfully overturned this as DLA is given for a specific purpose. So yea the groups doing well.

Hope you get sorted and you do have every right and reason to complain about not being told you had a reduction, if any one says to you that you should have known about the welfare reforms then that can't be used as any defence on their behalf because it's not the law you have to know about these things, they should have informed you that your housing benefit was being reduced, if you didn't know anything about it as far as you were concerned everything was as normal.

I'm not convinced on that one. For example very few child benefit claimants I know have been informed by letter they will lose their child benefit. They still need to repay the child benefit from jan to April despite no letters, no notifications etc. they were informed the onus was on them, and to do a self assessment, despite admissions that no letter was ever sent.

Sir_Pac

iluvmarmite wrote: »

Yes it's a closed group that you request to join, there have been many successful appeals using info on the group, HB depts have now started telling tenants that they have no right of appeal or can't appeal which is total BS as everyone has the legal right of appeal, some councils are telling DLA claimants they have to use their DLA to pay the BT, again through the group, claimants have successfully overturned this as DLA is given for a specific purpose. So yea the groups doing well.

Hope you get sorted and you do have every right and reason to complain about not being told you had a reduction, if any one says to you that you should have known about the welfare reforms then that can't be used as any defence on their behalf because it's not the law you have to know about these things, they should have informed you that your housing benefit was being reduced, if you didn't know anything about it as far as you were concerned everything was as normal.

Thanks for your insight iluvmarmite! You wouldn't expect government departments to be lying to its clients - It's dishonest, and muddies the waters. I'll know more about my situation Monday, until then I'm putting this to bed and getting on with other jobs.

:-)