LHA and reposession

gonnafixit

Hi.

I hope someone can help me.

We are having to hand back the keys to our property due to arrears etc.

We will be moving to a privately rented property. We will be entitled to full LHA due to our low income but will we be able to claim it after having handed the keys in on the current house or will we be penalised?

Hope this makes sense.

Thanks

TattyG

I am not sure on the answer to your question - hopefully someone will be able to help soon.

In the meantime have a look at the Shelter website - they will be able to help you x http://www.shelter.org.uk/ x

gonnafixit

I am in northern ireland but thank you x

allen35

No you won't be penalised, it will be treated as a change of address, make sure you inform the Local Housing Benefit Office that you have moved out to stop the payments on your current property and request and complete a change of address form, if your finances haven't changed you will just need your tenancy agreement as evidence.

If you need support with furnishings and are on a low income such as benefits apply for a discretionary grant at the Council, these replaced Community Care Grants.

Poppie68

allen35 wrote: »

No you won't be penalised, it will be treated as a change of address, make sure you inform the Local Housing Benefit Office that you have moved out to stop the payments on your current property and request and complete a change of address form, if your finances haven't changed you will just need your tenancy agreement as evidence.

If you need support with furnishings and are on a low income such as benefits apply for a discretionary grant at the Council, these replaced Community Care Grants.

What gives you the impression they need support with furnishings?
Ther house has been repossessed but I've never heard of mortgage lenders taking someone's furniture.

poppasmurf_bewdley

Is your new private landlord aware that you are (have been)being evicted for non payment of rent?

IF you didn't pay your rent when you were receiving full housing benefit, how are you going to pay when you are only receiving housing allowance, which will in all probability have a shortfall between what you receive and what you have to pay out?

Poppie68

From reading the OPs other posts it seems it was a mortgaged property that has been repossessed and not an eviction of a rental.

BigAunty

'Having to hand back keys' - do you mean that your lender has gained a court order to repossess the property or do you mean voluntary repossession, namely that you walked away from the property before being legally obliged?

Either way, it won't affect your entitlement to HB which is based solely upon income/capital.

However, voluntary repossession (handing back the key and walking away' is a last resort and can carry more risks/issues than when a lender repossesses. See the Shelter website about this, how to cope with mortgage arrears and so forth. I haven't read your historic posts so apologies if this suggestion is not appropriate, being too late or already undertaken, for example.

Robbie64

allen35 wrote: »

No you won't be penalised, it will be treated as a change of address, make sure you inform the Local Housing Benefit Office that you have moved out to stop the payments on your current property and request and complete a change of address form, if your finances haven't changed you will just need your tenancy agreement as evidence.

If you need support with furnishings and are on a low income such as benefits apply for a discretionary grant at the Council, these replaced Community Care Grants.

Community Care Grants (and Crisis Loans) are still available in Northern Ireland. There is also the Budgeting Loan scheme to help with support for purchasing furniture.

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/community-care-grants