LHA entitled to 4 bedroom but will be a 3 bed house

niki88

Hello I was hoping for some advice regarding LHA, I know I'm entitled to 4 bedrooms with myself and partner and then 4 children 1 boy aged 10 and then 3 younger girls. What I can't understand is what we would actually get? Is it down to how many bedrooms the property actually has? We would be using a second reception room as the 4th bedroom or is it down to how many people there are?. I've looked online and it's mixed what people say. I hope someone can help me understand it please. 

Spoonie_Turtle

You will get the maximum of the 4-bed rate or the actual rent you're paying, whichever is lower (assuming you're privately renting).  If you're in social housing you'll get the full rent.

niki88

Thankyou for your reply yes it is private rent, since posting this I have had a reply on my universal credit journal and she has said it will be down to how many bedrooms are on the tenancy and there verification? Is this incorrect? We have had a draft tenancy agreement through already and it doesn't mention anything about how many bedrooms it has? I am so confused what to think as all majority online is like what you say.

NedS

As it's private rented, I don't think it actually matters how many bedrooms you have or how many bedrooms it says on the tenancy (that is more of relevance for social / council housing).

As @Spoonie_Turtle says above, the system will calculate how many bedrooms you are entitled to (based on who is living at the property), and you will be paid the LHA for that sized property OR the actual rent - which ever is the lower amount.

Newcad

Your Work Coach is not correct, but it's not her fault it's their training that doesn't tell them the distinctions (because the WC doesn't 'need' to know).

The UC system asks how many bedrooms there are simply because it would be relevant to Social Housing (for possible Bedroom Tax which doesn't apply to Private Rentals, it will aslo ask for information about service charges which isn't needed in Private Rentals only in Social).
The questions it asks are designed to cover both Private Rentals and Social Housing.

So it ask all the questions that could be relevant to either one and then they ignore the answers that aren't relevant.

It's done like that because they found that many tenants weren't sure if they had a Private or Social rental, that seems odd to me but apparently it was a problem in the early days of UC, so it's easier for UC just to ask all the questions for both types and then sort out which type it is from the answers.

niki88

Thankyou for all your answers, that is great to know. I will keep you all updated once we have a move in date, I will notify UC through the proper means. Thanks again.