Private Renters (wanting to move) on Housing Benefit

Queen.Bess

Hi All, hope you can help.

My DH and twin DDs are looking to move out of our 2 bed private rented house to somewhere with a bit more space! It's been 8 years since we last moved house and the lettings market has changed rather a lot in that time, not least all these costs for credit checks and references when going through an agent!

Our situation is that I work 30hpw whilst DH is fulltime stay at home dad and when the girls were born last year I applied for Housing benefit and we receive £33.61pw. Not a lot but it really does help.

When I contacted an agent they have asked for my annual salary as this had to be 3 times the annual rent. I said that our household income would meet this requirement so she asked how this was made up, so I said my salary, working and child tax credit and housing benefit. The moment I mentioned this she said they didn't accept this and said they couldn't help us. I was so angry I put the phone down, rather than questioning her.

And since we've been looking on Rightmove and Zoopla and seeing houses we like in the areas we like we then get disheartened when we see 'no housing benefit' or 'no DSS' (how old is that phrase?!).

My question is: As the housing benefit money comes straight to us and not to the landlord (our current agents are not aware we claim HB) and as our annual household income meets this 3 times annual rent calculation, without including the HB income, do I have to declare that we are on HB?

I am so worried we will not be able to move because of receiving this small amount of benefit, but it helps us out so much.

We are hopeful that Gumtree will come to our aid and that hopefully going through a good landlord directly will mean it shouldn't matter.

Any advice gratefully received, with thanks!

theartfullodger

Get more income from working: you or your partner.

This will make you more attractive as tenants.

Appreciate this advice is bleedin' obvious.

BitterAndTwisted

If your income meets the three-times annual rent then don't mention the HB.

If all of the agents you speak to won't accept you with the WTC you'll need to find yourself a proprty to rent direct from a landlord who might be more flexible and pay more attention the affordability aspect as well as good references.

To be honest, although I understand the wish for more space I don't really think a two-bed with a couple and two one year old twins is that much of a squeeze.

It might be best to hang on to where you are now and wait until you either increase your hourly rate or can work full-time.

whalster

Letting agents only account for50 percent of private rented houses let in this country.
Letting agents only represent the idiot landlords ,find a private landlord .
I would not bat an eyelid about your situation as long as your current landlord and credit checks panned out.
One other thing I often have tenants even long term ,ie years and years give notice after finding a new home ,they never think to ask me if I have anything else more suited to them coming up sometimes I have so always ask your landlord .
This week I ave a family moving out of a 2 bed house into a 4 bed and a friend of the 2 bed folks moving into theirs.
No advertising no voids no problem!
Ask them

red_devil

its awful when people say no dss. There is nothing to say that dss tenants dont look after peoples homes!

gazter

red_devil wrote: »

its awful when people say no dss. There is nothing to say that dss tenants dont look after peoples homes!

It's a numbers game though. For a lot of landlords tenants on HB come with a lot of baggage. It becomes a risk vs reward. There will be of course examples of a pair of professional trashing a place and bunking off without paying, as there will be with people on benefits.

The thing is, i would imagine a landlord would have no real chance of successful legal action to get unpaid rent/damage awarded in the courts.

Annisele

red_devil wrote: »

its awful when people say no dss. There is nothing to say that dss tenants dont look after peoples homes!

It's not always the landlord's fault - sometimes it's because of conditions imposed by the landlord's lender or insurer.

jungle_jane

theartfullodger wrote: »

I doubt lender restrictions over tenant receiving benefits, if it existed, would be enforceable. Do you have an example of a mortgage lender enforcing this alleged condition?

Yes mine - Santander. They won't allow students or housing benefit as the condition of giving me consent to let...

Annisele

theartfullodger wrote: »

The are plenty of landlord insurers who will cover tenants on benefits.

I doubt lender restrictions over tenant receiving benefits, if it existed, would be enforceable. Do you have an example of a mortgage lender enforcing this alleged condition?

I was thinking more of rent insurance than buildings insurance - but I accept rent insurance isn't necessary. (And for many landlords I think it's just a waste of money).

I don't have any examples of lenders actually enforcing any conditions over benefit claimants, but I have heard of them putting one into an agreement (as jungle jane says Santander does). I think enforcing such a condition might well be tricky for the lender - but I can also see why it would put off landlords.