Housing benefit questions

3card

Hi All

I have just received a letter from the local council benefits service because one of my tenants as put a claim in for housing benefit but i am just checking to see if anyone else as also received a list of questions the council want answering by the landlord.

The questions include when the property was purchased, was it purchased for the purpose of renting out, smoke alarms & CO monitors fitted, how the rent is paid, is there a rent book.
Obviously they ask if the tenant has been given the required certs and the council have said they need proof of these certs

My main point i would have thought they would have got most of the answers they have asked directly from the tenant as they are the ones putting the claim in

Anyone else had anything like this?

TIA

theartfullodger

Why would you not simply reply to the council? What on earth are you wanting to hide? I'm sure you are 100% compliant with all regulations.

Pleased to see councils taking (some, small) steps to avoid funding private landlord who (unlike you..) have substandard premises. (And, clearly not in this case, that the HB claim isn't a scam set up by a relative or some dodgy person: If, for example, relative buys a place simply to rent to their relative & get HB to pay his mortgage, I don;t think HB is usually payable).

Artful: In receipt of 6 benefits: Landlord since 2000.

3card

theartfullodger wrote: »

Why would you not simply reply to the council? What on earth are you wanting to hide? I'm sure you are 100% compliant with all regulations.

Pleased to see councils taking (some, small) steps to avoid funding private landlord who (unlike you..) have substandard premises. (And, clearly not in this case, that the HB claim isn't a scam set up by a relative or some dodgy person: If, for example, relative buys a place simply to rent to their relative & get HB to pay his mortgage, I don;t think HB is usually payable).

Artful: In receipt of 6 benefits: Landlord since 2000.

I'm hiding nothing and i'm interested to see where it looks like i am? I have actually sent the replies with the certs in the post this morning within a few hours of receiving the later and i am 100% compliant with all regulations

As i said surely asking the tenant if they have received the certs along with proof would make so much sense than asking me if i have issued them

I agree if this help cutting down on sh!te landlords its a good step

McKneff

It might also cut down on tenants playing the system too

Cakeguts

It is normal now I think. We had a tenant who applied for housing benefit for a house that they were not a tenant of. The local council rang the letting agent to find out who the tenant was.

I think councils want to check that there isn't some kind of fraud going on and the easiest way to do that is to contact either the landord or their letting agent.

pmlindyloo

3card wrote: »

Hi All

I have just received a letter from the local council benefits service because one of my tenants as put a claim in for housing benefit but i am just checking to see if anyone else as also received a list of questions the council want answering by the landlord.

The questions include when the property was purchased, was it purchased for the purpose of renting out, smoke alarms & CO monitors fitted, how the rent is paid, is there a rent book.
Obviously they ask if the tenant has been given the required certs and the council have said they need proof of these certs

My main point i would have thought they would have got most of the answers they have asked directly from the tenant as they are the ones putting the claim in

Anyone else had anything like this?

TIA

I find this somewhat out of the ordinary.

As far as I am aware the council will not contact the landlord if someone has applied for housing benefit without their express permission.

This may not be relevant to you but also may be.......................

It appears that the tenant has given permission for them to contact you which in itself suggests that there is a query about the tenant's accommodation.

Possible scenarios:

The claimant has not been able to produce a tenancy agreement to provide proof of liability for rent.

The claimant has informed the council that there are other people living in the property and this information has 'sparked' off queries about a House of Multiple Occupation (for which there are special regulations)

There is some other query about the tenancy that has arisen.

3card

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I find this somewhat out of the ordinary.

As far as I am aware the council will not contact the landlord if someone has applied for housing benefit without their express permission.

This may not be relevant to you but also may be.......................

It appears that the tenant has given permission for them to contact you which in itself suggests that there is a query about the tenant's accommodation.

Possible scenarios:

The claimant has not been able to produce a tenancy agreement to provide proof of liability for rent.

The claimant has informed the council that there are other people living in the property and this information has 'sparked' off queries about a House of Multiple Occupation (for which there are special regulations)

There is some other query about the tenancy that has arisen.

The tenancy is is still pretty new as the tenant only moved in about 7 weeks ago and the questions asked are more or less all landlord related. I get the impression this may be a standard thing with this type of claim?
Just to let you know what they asked
When was the property purchased?
Purpose of the purchase? BTL?
Provide proof of BTL mortgage
As it been previously rented out? proof of tenancy if so with agreement
Where was the property advertised? Provide proof
Was anyone else interested in the property?
Why did i choose this tenant?
Is tenant any relation to myself or partner?
Have i provided a rent book? proof
How did i arrive at the level of rent?
How is the rent paid?
Any rent arrears by the tenant?
Is rent paid in cash. cheque, DD?
How much deposit if any and is it placed in a deposit scheme? proof
Any gas safety and EPC cert? proof
Smoke & CO monitors fitted?
Electrical report given to tenant? Proof
What will happen if the benefit claim is refused?
Have the inland revenue been informed of the rental income?

As you can see its more of a check on landlords and not the tenant

pmlindyloo

I do not Know whether this is a standard form that your council sends out. It could be some kind of data evidence gathering or it could be a check that you are doing everything correctly.

Looking at different housing benefit application forms there is usually permission needed for the claimant's landlord to be contacted as many claimants do not wish their landlord to know that they have applied for housing benefit. I have to assume your tenant gave permission.

perhaps you could goggle your local council and fid out their process.

A bit late now since you have sent off the information needed but I have never heard of this happening before.

Is this an HMO?

Is the tenant a member of your family/near relative/friend of previous owner of house?

Does your tenant have a tenancy agreement?

Unless this is a data gathering exercise which I would have thought would have been voluntary, then I can only think it has to do with the HB application.

Anything that springs to your mind?

theartfullodger

You would of course have been at liberty to decline to respond. No problems there eh?

3card

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I do not Know whether this is a standard form that your council sends out. It could be some kind of data evidence gathering or it could be a check that you are doing everything correctly.

Looking at different housing benefit application forms there is usually permission needed for the claimant's landlord to be contacted as many claimants do not wish their landlord to know that they have applied for housing benefit. I have to assume your tenant gave permission.

perhaps you could goggle your local council and fid out their process.

A bit late now since you have sent off the information needed but I have never heard of this happening before.

Is this an HMO?

Is the tenant a member of your family/near relative/friend of previous owner of house?

Does your tenant have a tenancy agreement?

Unless this is a data gathering exercise which I would have thought would have been voluntary, then I can only think it has to do with the HB application.

Anything that springs to your mind?

No HMO
Not a relative
Yes they do have a TA

The letter does state its because the tenant has put a claim in for HB

3card

theartfullodger wrote: »

You would of course have been at liberty to decline to respond. No problems there eh?

I'm not sure if you can read properly but at no time have i complained about sending the info or even refused to do so but you seem to sense otherwise in both your posts. All i asked is if anyone had come across these questions before

I do find it odd on this site that some posters try at all odds to be confrontational.