an idea if LL doesn't accept DSS, is this allowed?

Pixie5740

Generous relative? They'd need their bloody head read to go along with this charade.

You seem to be suggesting that your relative takes on a tenancy and then sublets the property to you which would most likely be a breach of the tenancy agreement. Your tenancy agreement would be with your relative not the LL of the property.

Generally speaking, when a full time student rents then their parents act as a guarantor. I know you're not a full time student but if you do have someone who could act as a guarantor that might help you secure a rental property, although it should be noted that this option isn't without it's perils for the guarantor either.

Alternatively, what about getting a room in a shared house where the HB might not be as much as an issue.

Cautious_Optimist

To the LL this would sound like the relative acting as a guarantor.
The tenancy would be in the name of the student / LHA recipient.
If I was the LL I would be asking for references / proof of student status etc. Because LL needs to know who they are dealing with.

When I was a student, LLs and letting agents rarely asked for parents to act as guarantors. Is it now routine? What if parents not acceptable as guarantors?

So tenant starts off as student, then goes on to claim LHA? Well, if LL doesn't check student status at regular intervals (start of new term), then perhaps there would be no deception.

But remember, working people also sometimes claim LHA, so if LL wants to check his tenants are not on LHA, he must either check with council (they probably won't help) or rely on wage slips to show earnings above LHA level.

This proposed arrangement sounds similar to when an employer rents accommodation, via a letting agent and deducts an amount from the employees wages. Tenant / employee signs letting agreement, but never pays any money to LL or agent. So it must be legal to do so, but this doesn't involve LHA. (And LLs love these arrangements)

Cautious_Optimist

Actually, what you are proposing sounds more like your relative acting as the letting agent? (You pay them, they pay the LL).
But you also imply they will act as a kind of guarantor, but the LL would probably want that signed off as an official guarantor agreement. Because if you cause damage, or the relative stops paying rent, then what?
LL needs to go after guarantor, if you are considered not worth pursuing.

Cautious_Optimist

I think your plan would not be approved by council due to:
Relative cannot act as letting agent for LHA tenant.
LHA form would ask who you pay rent to. If you put your LL, that would not be true.

Similar arrangements do work (corporate lettings) but probably not for LHA.