Landlords refuse any benefits claimants

kaya

The problem is that if a landlord rents to someone on benefits and that person turns out to be dishonest and is found to be working or subletting/having their boyfriend living there the dwp often demand the money is returned to them by the landlord rather than the tennant

HappyMJ

princeofpounds wrote: »

You should definitely speak to the housing office, and also to Shelter's advice line.


http://www.shelter.org.uk/


Many of the landlords who accept benefits tenants now deal directly with the housing offices themselves. They can ring around and try to source a rental for you.


If you don't qualify for social housing, you might qualify for emergency accommodation when you end up near homeless. Then you will be higher priority.

Near homeless does not count. The bailiffs must be removing you and putting you out on the street homeless with nowhere to go all you will have is what you can carry. It's extremely stressful. Emergency accommodation will not allow you to bring all of your furniture with you so that will have to go into storage at the tenants cost for an unknown period of time. The suggestion from council is to sell all of your furniture instead of paying storage costs.

kaya wrote: »

The problem is that if a landlord rents to someone on benefits and that person turns out to be dishonest and is found to be working or subletting/having their boyfriend living there the dwp often demand the money is returned to them by the landlord rather than the tennant

That's only if landlord receives the housing payments direct from the council.

lonestar1

As you have given notice most councils will deem you as intentionally homeless Im afraid

Mrs_pbradley936

I would check out "sheltered housing" which is designed for older people with disabilities. Not every where uses that term but basically it is a development with a warden and communal facilities.

I only know about them because my friend and her husband were living in a rented house (been there 35 years) it had 3 beds and a large garden. Her husband had heart attack and because they did not have a downstairs loo they had to talk to social workers about getting one, or having a stair lift or whatever. To cut a long story short they were offered a one bed flat with the rent totally covered by benefits plus my friend is getting a carers allowance.

http://www.housingcare.org/elderly-uk-sheltered-housing.aspx

KatieDee

I think one of the reasons landlords are less likely than ever to let to those claiming Housing Benefit is because of the ever-looming Universal Credit. At the moment, it is quite easy for a tenant to arrange for a direct payment to the landlord but this is due to change once UC is fully rolled out. It's a huge risk for the landlord.

I also believe that a tenant who is a benefit claimant can effect insurance premiums for the landlord.

Don't listen to rumours about your local council - people have a lot to say without having any actually experience/knowledge. Speak to them directly and explain what your reasons for moving are. They may look into any medical needs you have and any financial difficulties you may be facing. If they cannot help you with social housing, they may be able to give you details of local landlords who do let to benefit claimants. You may also wish to contact Housing Associations in your area.

As you have given up your tenancy, you will more than likely be found intentionally homeless - could you look at retracting your notice and perhaps applying for Discretionary Housing Payment with your local council to cover the cost until you can find an alternative?

It isn't fair that you're unable to find alternative accommodation due to your financial situation but unfortunately, landlords need to minimise their risk. It's a real shame though, as holding a tenancy for 31 years is pretty good evidence that you're a fab tenant!

Best of luck with everything.

dinkylink

I would echo LittleMax.


My tenants receive benefits, I have just remortgaged and it was a pig finding lenders who accept this. I was able to find a couple of lenders but they didn't offer the best rates, so in effect it is costing me more. Plus on top of this it costs more for buildings insurance if you are letting to tenants who receive benefits.


At the moment I accept this, as my tenants are pretty decent longstanding ones.


However, if they were to move out in the future, I would certainly think twice about letting to tenants who receive benefits again, purely for the above reasons.

Pixie5740

Given that most of the banks had to be bailed out with tax payers' money due to their own stupidity it seems they are biting the hand that feeds by then offering BTL mortgages that exclude benefit claimants as tenants. Gits.

sgun

Try Gumtree for a private landlord, don't worry if their advert says no DSS or whatever. We advertise with something like that (yeah yeah I know you shouldn't) but if someone turned up to view and explained the situation we would look at all their evidence of being a good tenant and would take it from there. In fact it may even go in your favour as we prefer long term, responsible tenants and aren't really bothered where the rent comes from (unless you are dealing drugs from the house). An agent though probably wouldn't consider you, they simply don't have the time to completely vet every applicant.


But we don't have mortgage on the property which makes it easier for us. Good luck.

Pixie5740

Since that the Department of Social Security was dissolved in 2001 (except in Northern Ireland where it is still alive and kicking apparently) it makes it pointless advertising with no DSS.

Lord_Baltimore

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Given that most of the banks had to be bailed out with tax payers' money due to their own stupidity it seems they are biting the hand that feeds by then offering BTL mortgages that exclude benefit claimants as tenants. Gits.

Well, some banks were bailed out not most. And banking isn't a social enterprise, it's a business .