Is my landlord trying to get rid of me?

zoffi

Having a benefits issue, they stopped my benefits as they think I dont live in property, whilst that is getting sorted LL wanted me to pay towards the rent, I have paid £200 so far and a few days ago LL wanted to do a sap check which I allowed.

2 days later I notice LL has put a listing on Gumtree for a flat at same rent as mine in same street (but google maps shows it as up the road and I know LL has another flat on estate but it should be different part of street) when in the past all the other flats were about £50 a month cheaper as they were run down, it could mean they have redecorated but doubtful.

LL did give me 2 months notice 2 weeks ago but mentioned it was just a precaution in case council doesnt pay and if I pay towards the money I can stay even if it isnt sorted yet.

However I also am getting mixed messages, one member of staff said its ok, another tells me to pay ongoing money towards it.

If I am just paranoid then its no problem but what if LL wants me out? I have lived here 18 months now and rent paid always on time actually early every month till now and not had a single complaint from neighbours and property is clean and looked after.

Its not that I dont want to get it sorted, I am on benefits so cant give money I dont have, and if or should I say when its sorted it will mean I will be hundreds in credit whilst living off bread and having no heating or electric so even if I can pay so much a week and still live ok it means I will be impossible to get money back when sorted.

[Deleted User]

What benefits have been stopped? Are you getting anything?

Why are they saying you aren't living at the property?

I'd advise you to go to your local CAB urgently to get the benefits and housing issues sorted out as quickly as possible.

Give housing a copy of the notice your LL has given you. Get him/her to write a letter confirming what he has told you as this might help prove you are living in the property.

We can't say what your LL is trying to do. He is probably covering his back (did he give you a S21) in case this benefits problem is not sorted out. Not a lot you can do really right now except sort the problem out asap.

If you are still receiving any money at all, try to pay something towards the rent to show willing. I had my income support stopped for some silly reason.., so even though I was on half money, I made sure the rent was still covered even though it meant I had little money for anything else (I still received tax credits).

anselld

One thing is certain, your L *will* want to get rid of you if you stop paying rent.

Take that as a given and focus on sorting out your benefit from the Council as quickly as possible.

theartfullodger

anselld wrote: »

One thing is certain, your L *will* want to get rid of you if you stop paying rent......

Absolutely:

That the rent has been being paid by HB/LHA is all very interesting but you the tenant have the responsibility of getting the rent paid: Not the council, not your employer (about a million renters in UK get HB/LHA..), not anyone else, YOU!!

So either ensure rent is paid - one way or another - or prepare to be evicted.

Does the landlord live in the same building??

G_M

As ohers have said....

and just to be clear:
* you are in Eng/Wales?
* you have an AST?
* is it a fixed term or periodic (rolling) tenancy?
* 2 weeks ago did you receive a S21 Notice?

Whether the LL is advertising your property or another is irrelevant - as others have said, if the rent remains unpaid, he will evict at some point.

Pixie5740

Where are you? If in Scotland then the sheriff (judge in a kilt) can delay the eviction if rent arrears are built up whilst waiting for a housing benefit decision.

If in England or Wales, how quickly you can be evicted depends on whether you have been issued a Section 8 or Section 21 notice, and whether you have a fixed term or periodic tenancy.

Eviction can take months so it's understandable that your landlord has started the ball rolling just in case.

Can you pay anything towards your rent just now, maybe not the full amount but something is better than nothing. Do you have anything you can sell to buy you some time or scrape together a deposit for somewhere else?

theartfullodger

Pixie5740 wrote: »

If in Scotland then the sheriff (judge in a kilt) ....

All the times I have seen the Sheriff - close to where JC was the other day - he/she never had a kilt on: And that in the Highlands where oftentimes old, worn, kilts are still often seen (usually on old, worn, locals - of all classes...)

HappyMJ

Your rent is due in advance to your landlord at the beginning of a rent period (month) and any housing benefits you get pay in arrears to your bank account at the end of the rent period which you have already paid for. They usually pay you fortnightly. You then save it and use that money to pay towards next months rent. Managed properly you should never be in arrears and you will never be in credit so I'm not sure what you mean when you say "when its sorted it will mean I will be hundreds in credit whilst living off bread and having no heating or electric".

Very few landlord want to or even allow the council to pay them directly as there is a potential large liability. In cases of fraud by the tenant any housing benefit paid to the landlord directly from the council must be repaid by the landlord. If the tenant receives housing benefit directly and pays rent to the landlord with cash or by direct bank transfer then the landlord can keep the money if the tenant was found to have claimed fraudulently.

Pixie5740

theartfullodger wrote: »

All the times I have seen the Sheriff - close to where JC was the other day - he/she never had a kilt on: And that in the Highlands where oftentimes old, worn, kilts are still often seen (usually on old, worn, locals - of all classes...)

It was a joke from a previous thread.

zoffi

I guess people have missed the part when I said I already paid £200 towards it, thats a lot considering I am on benefits instead of say £10 a week and LL wants more. its just housing and council tax benefit that has been stopped at minute as I am the victim of identify fraud, the council keep promising different things like saying they want proof I am living here, then saying they want backdated bank statements, then saying they are waiting for proof of signature from the alleged identity theft place then ask for more proof of living here.

Before this due to rent being paid 4 weekly and me paying more than 2 months in credit when I moved in I was anything from a few days to 3 months in advance monthly.

And no LL lives many miles away.

Seems to be some sort of miscomunication going on at the LL's agency, they run the agency and own all the properties themselves, every week or so I get one email/call from one member of staff just wanting an update and saying they aren't worried about payment as long as its paid sometime, another from a different member of staff saying to contact about arrears, its the same member of staff who contacts asking for an update each time and same other staff member who wants to talk about the money owed and when I contact the company staff member 1 says not to worry its just an update they want.

So I get conflicting information each way.

theartfullodger

I was well aware you had paid £200: How much rent arrears do you currently owe, please??

Did you appreciate the point that you are responsible for rent being paid, HB or no HB??