A Quick Question for Landlords

Mossfarr

With the references and documents you have showing that you manage your finances I would definitely consider taking you on as a tenant.
A long term tenant who pays on time and looks after my property is exactly what I look for.
Both sets of tenants I have had in my property have claimed benefits. There can be some delays in setting up payments whilst claims are sorted but I accept this and it balances out in the end.
Don't give up, there are a lot of landlords out there who are hoing to find tenants just like you.
good luck.

GobbledyGook

Don't let the fact one landlord wouldn't take you put you off going. I prefer tenants in your position as, with the greatest respect, your postion is somewhat stable. I've had far less trouble with my tenants who have been on benefits because of long-term ill health or disability than I have with working tenants (because they can get sacked/made redundant/get a new job 3 months into tenancy and decide to abandon the flat).

If they are a decide LL they would have mentioned 6 months or guarantors on the phone. If you get there and they mention it as a standard policy then walk away - not mentioning a standard policy they have in an initial conversation is a red flag imo.

Nobbie1967

HappyMJ wrote: »

I don't have to inform the insurer which means much lower premiums.

What type of insurance policy is this?

LocoLoco

Thank you, Mossfarr and GobbledyGook, for your positive comments, hoping to view next week so I will let you know how it goes, many thanks

FBaby

Is it only your son who is disabled? How old is he? The only concern a landlord might have is that your son could move out at some stage and you might lose your level of entitlement to benefits.

LocoLoco

FBaby wrote: »

Is it only your son who is disabled? How old is he? The only concern a landlord might have is that your son could move out at some stage and you might lose your level of entitlement to benefits.

If my son moved out I'd be able to go back to work so I wouldn't need to be claiming benefits.

HappyMJ

Nobbie1967 wrote: »

What type of insurance policy is this?

Rent Guarantee insurance, Building and/or Contents insurance. Try playing about with a comparison site to see the difference. It's only a few pounds more to accept tenants that rely on housing benefit to pay the rent. Some landlords though just don't want that. As I've said as long as other income and benefits can cover the rent I don't mind if the tenant can claim Housing Benefit I just don't want to know.

Mossfarr

originally posted by HappyMJ:
"I've said as long as other income and benefits can cover the rent I don't mind if the tenant can claim Housing Benefit I just don't want to know".

Interesting...... when my tenants have been claiming benefits I have been asked to provide a copy of the tenancy agreement with a letter for the Local Authority to confirm that the tenants are renting and the amount of rent they pay to me.
It just shows how different local authorities can be. They have such different ways of doing things when they are 'supposed' to be the same!

HappyMJ

Mossfarr wrote: »

Interesting...... when my tenants have been claiming benefits I have been asked to provide a copy of the tenancy agreement with a letter for the Local Authority to confirm that the tenants are renting and the amount of rent they pay to me.
It just shows how different local authorities can be. They have such different ways of doing things when they are 'supposed' to be the same!

Your tenant should already have a copy of the tenancy agreement and they will be showing bank statements showing rent being paid. If they're paying in cash they'll have receipts. They also live in the property and the council should (at least they should) know whether the property is rented or owned by the information provided on the council tax registration documents that new and previous occupiers fill in. HB can be claimed without the landlords knowledge or permission....of course as you say the document requirements are different with each LA.

LocoLoco

Just to update (although unfortunately there isn't a lot to say!) but we had to postpone the viewing as my son's health took a bit of a dip and needless to say the property we were hoping to get was snapped up by someone else. Now back to trawling through all the 'No DSS' adverts again which is a bit disheartening but hopefully something else will come up. We're going to stay in the area we want to move to for a couple of days next week (it's a long way from where we currently live) so I'm going to put some adverts out myself and have got a couple of possibilities to look at although I think they are going to mean paying six months up front which worries me slightly but if needs must then I'll have to bite the bullet.

Anyway, thanks for all previous advice, at least my paperwork is all in order and ready to go and I've done most of the packing, just need somewhere to move to now