Landlords refuse any benefits claimants

HappyMJ

edgex wrote: »

Tax credits are being cut, & are in reality a benefit
Do you also insist that they are in full-time jobs with at least a months notice?

A tenant could cover a month of your rent using a years child benefit & you wouldnt know. That benefit is only 'guaranteed' for as long as the gov dosnt change it, or the child dies!

A month's notice is not required. I prefer the tenant to have a reasonably stable employment history. Preferably at least 3 months in a job but it's not essential. The job should be expected to last for 6 months so that would count out temporary Christmas workers or those on zero hours contracts.

If child dies tenant can give notice to move out if tenant cannot afford to rent the property any more. I won't evict if the rent continues to be paid.

What I meant is that any payments they get they must actually be getting before the tenancy starts. Tax credits are guaranteed for the period of the tenancy...i.e 6 months. If they fall later the tenant has to make a choice at that point in time whether they wish to continue renting the property or not. If they continue paying the rent using whatever money they have available to them that's fine. I don't redo affordability every 6 months..only once at the beginning of the tenancy and the expected payments should cover the period of the fixed term. I don't look years into the future if child is 16 for instance and tax credits stop at 18 that doesn't matter. I just look at the next 6 months. Housing Benefit isn't paid and not is even guaranteed until you are in the property and apply for it so I do not count it. Basically that would mean a non-working benefit claimant couldn't rent it as it wouldn't be affordable but a tenant that works at the very least part time maybe not quite earning enough therefore getting some working and child tax credits and maybe qualify for a small housing benefit payment would be fine. I just don't count the housing benefit payment that they aren't getting yet. I also accept tenants that have a large enough pension or have savings.

edited to add: A family with 3 children with one earning £30,000 would be entitled to £15 a week housing benefit in my property. I'm not going to turn them away just because they happen to be entitled to a little housing benefit. I just won't count it. They can easily afford the rent using the £30,000 of income. They would also get £77 a week child tax credit and £48 a week child benefit. I count them.

booksurr

HappyMJ wrote: »

A month's notice is not required. I prefer the tenant to have a reasonably stable employment history. Preferably at least 3 months in a job but it's not essential. The job should be expected to last for 6 months so that would count out temporary Christmas workers or those on zero hours contracts.

If child dies tenant can give notice to move out if tenant cannot afford to rent the property any more. I won't evict if the rent continues to be paid.

What I meant is that any payments they get they must actually be getting before the tenancy starts. Tax credits are guaranteed for the period of the tenancy...i.e 6 months. If they fall later the tenant has to make a choice at that point in time whether they wish to continue renting the property or not. If they continue paying the rent using whatever money they have available to them that's fine. I don't redo affordability every 6 months..only once at the beginning of the tenancy and the expected payments should cover the period of the fixed term. I don't look years into the future if child is 16 for instance and tax credits stop at 18 that doesn't matter. I just look at the next 6 months. Housing Benefit isn't paid and not is even guaranteed until you are in the property and apply for it so I do not count it. Basically that would mean a non-working benefit claimant couldn't rent it as it wouldn't be affordable but a tenant that works at the very least part time maybe not quite earning enough therefore getting some working and child tax credits and maybe qualify for a small housing benefit payment would be fine. I just don't count the housing benefit payment that they aren't getting yet. I also accept tenants that have a large enough pension or have savings.

edited to add: A family with 3 children with one earning £30,000 would be entitled to £15 a week housing benefit in my property. I'm not going to turn them away just because they happen to be entitled to a little housing benefit. I just won't count it. They can easily afford the rent using the £30,000 of income. They would also get £77 a week child tax credit and £48 a week child benefit. I count them.

what an excellent example of how someone who is professional in their approach to their rental business should operate. Clear strategy, quantified and measurable criteria used and a clear idea of when a boundary has been crossed.

FBaby

As long as you can demonstrate you can pay the rent with your benefits if you have a disability this should not exclude you from renting.

But they are not excluded from renting, they just have much fewer choices than those who are not reliant on benefits, that's different.

julie777

Thank you everyone for your advice and contributions to the thread. I will make my way through all replies and try to thank those of you who have been especially helpful. 4 weeks left to find a home but we have at least found 3 agents who seem to want to help. You never can tell.

Prothet_of_Doom

The LL may be restricted by the T&C's of the BTL lender which might prohibit letting to benefit claimants.

silvercar

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

The LL may be restricted by the T&C's of the BTL lender which might prohibit letting to benefit claimants.

From experience it is more likely to be the BTL insurance that is the stumbling block.

Mrs_pbradley936

I have a granddaughter with disabilities. She cannot live in an "ordinary" place, she needs special stairs, special bathroom, wider doors to take a wheelchair and so on. She cannot be the only disabled person to need all of that therefore she rules herself out of "ordinary" property so I fail to see how anyone could be reported for discrimination against a disabled person.

cattermole

silvercar wrote: »

From experience it is more likely to be the BTL insurance that is the stumbling block.

I would again argue this is discrimination by the insurance provider! Not making a reasonable adjustment for being on benefits due to a disability. Same with a BTL mortgage provider.

cattermole

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

I have a granddaughter with disabilities. She cannot live in an "ordinary" place, she needs special stairs, special bathroom, wider doors to take a wheelchair and so on. She cannot be the only disabled person to need all of that therefore she rules herself out of "ordinary" property so I fail to see how anyone could be reported for discrimination against a disabled person.

It depends on the reasonable adjustment needed not all disabilities require major adaptations.

My severely disabled daughter lived in a rented flat and because the flat was modern and had wide doors it met her needs. With relatively minor adjustments that the landlord did not incur any costs over.

The discrimination is nothing to do with possible adaptations it is excluding someone from renting purely because they are on benefits and unable to work because of a disability.

cattermole

FBaby wrote: »

But they are not excluded from renting, they just have much fewer choices than those who are not reliant on benefits, that's different.

You should not have fewer choices based on a policy that discriminates against you purely because you are unable to work due to a disability and have to claim benefits.

That is the law.