To Accept Dss Or Not To Accept Dss? - That Is The Question!

suzannewysiwyg

Hi Guys,

I am still pondering away.

When I rent my place out shall I accept DSS? (Think I know the answer, but would like to hear your thoughts!)

Are there any books anyone can recommend for renting out property?

What are the rules on self catering accommodation? - Could I let it out as a holiday home?? (albeit in sunny Brum!)

Thanks once again

silvercar

When I rent my place out shall I accept DSS? (Think I know the answer, but would like to hear your thoughts!)

Judge each case on its merits. If you have a prospective tenant that passes a credit check and can muster up a deposit why worry if they are in receipt of housing benefit at some point during their tenancy?

On the other hand, someone with a bad credit history, no deposit and expecting you to wait for the council to sort out their claim may be more of a risk.

Notlob

Establish if the local agents in your area are generally positive or not towards housing benefit.

If negative, then you need to consider how easy it will be for them to find alternative rental property. They might have difficulty in finding and fail to move out. In the end, they might force eviction to get the council to home them.

This is from experience.

Notlob

lynzpower

Have a look if your local authority will give you a guranteed rent and tenants for a few years. Many do, and hey also fasttrack housing benefi claims, pay any voids, and also undertake all maintainence for you, so when the property is returned to you its in the same state ( minus that wear & tear!) as when you let it.

A solid option.

rjm2k1

One thing to consider these days a lot of councils will not pay HB direct to a landlord, they insist on paying it to the tennent in order to teach them how to handle money. Unfortunatly, some tennents spend their HB on other things and get in to rent arrears, at which point the council do everything they can to make it difficult for the landlord to evict their tennent, nice eh! A lot of the companies who manage your property etc only do this if you have a minimum number of properties to give to them and be warned that if they put Asylum seakers in there, landloard have been left with council tax bills to pay as asylum seakers don't have to pay and the councils then go after the landlord. Have a look at www.singingpig.co.uk in the property forums there's a lot of knowledge on DSS etc.

Scoflo

rjm2k1 wrote: »

councils then go after the landlord. Have a look at www.singingpig.com in the property forums there's a lot of knowledge on DSS etc.

spam:spam:

blissfulbabe

I rented for seven years whilst receiving housing benefit (single mum, with two kids). The first place I rented for five and a half years and the second place I only moved out of as I rented my parents' house when they emigrated. Each time I got my deposit back, so I can't have been a bad tennant!

The thing is, there are good and bad tennats who receive HB and good and bad tennants who don't - if you rent to someone on HB at least you can insist that the HB is paid directly to you so you can guarrantee that you will be paid each month. You could always ask for a guarrantor (sic) - my parents acted for me as they knew they could trust me. There are people on this site who can tell you the most horrendous stories about renting to people on benefits and, conversely, there are people who rented to people not on benefits who have had equally awful experiences.

BTW the years I spent living on benefits were the worst of my life as it is absoloutely soul destroying, but every year I did a different course at college, started working part time and gradually built up my hours until I was working full time and now I have a job I love, am earning £30,000 pa and am slowly but surely becoming fiancially sound again. :T

lynzpower

scottishflower2000 wrote: »

spam:spam:

thats not spam, singing pig is a very well known forum for landlords legal advice.

barnaby-bear

:eek:

blissfulbabe wrote: »

The thing is, there are good and bad tennats who receive HB and good and bad tennants who don't - if you rent to someone on HB at least you can insist that the HB is paid directly to you so you can guarrantee that you will be paid each month.

:eek:
Don't get paid directly - guaranteed to be paid - not guaranteed you can keep it - if the claimant is claiming fraudulantly the council then claim it back from you and your recourse is via the courts pursuing the fraudulant tenant....

hazzie123

Personally I`d consider DSS,but only if the tenant was working in a low paid job and would need slight housing benefit.

It is extremely hard to get a house in my area what will accept housing benefit.Even if you do work but need help with rent.

rjm2k1

scottishflower2000 wrote: »

spam:spam:

lol, first time I've ever been accused of posting spam by trying to help someone, wouldn't mind, but I have way more posts that sf!. Well mentioned above too, I forgot to say that councils can clawback HB payments from the landlord!