In and out of rent arrears

h1r3z

I tried searching for this but didn't turn anything up. So just a quick question.
My partner and I get full rent paid by UC directly to the council. During the great transition things got conveniently mussled, as expected and now our rent dips in and out of arrears every couple of weeks. 
i recently had a call from the council income officer telling me this isn't acceptable and I will need to set up a standing order, even if a small amount, to catch this up and bring the account into permanant credit. Is this normal? If I am receiving full benefit and the council are getting the full rent paid directly, is it actually my fault that UC isn't paying it on time? Surely my standing order arrangement means they (the council) are getting more than the agreed rent every month? 

Thanks in advance.

KxMx

Your rent is due weekly unfortunately that's at odds with UC. Universal Credit is paid one month in arrears. 

Due to this being different from the payment cycle for Housing Benefit three weeks of arrears occur during the transition which is what keeps recurring. 

Yes, if they are not happy with the UC payment cycle they are within their rights to request the account be brought up to date so that eventually each UC payment puts the account one month into credit.

h1r3z

KxMx said:

Your rent is due weekly unfortunately that's at odds with UC. Universal Credit is paid one month in arrears. 

Due to this being different from the payment cycle for Housing Benefit three weeks of arrears occur during the transition which is what keeps recurring. 

Yes, if they are not happy with the UC payment cycle they are within their rights to request the account be brought up to date so that eventually each UC payment puts the account one month into credit.

Thanks for your reply. 

I'm not entirely surprised to be honest. The whole situation is out of my control and yet I am liable to by way of extra monthly payments to correct a situation that isn't even really a major issue to them (as the rent is caught up every month when the payment goes through) at my own expense despite the full rent already being paid. 

Oh well. Thanks again. 

Newcad

Yes such an arrangement with a temporary extra payment for a year or two is normal in your circumstances

I had similar when I moved myself from HB to UC back in 2021.

My Housing Association were aware of the weekly rent vs monthly UC situation and work things so that tenants on UC pay a little extra each month for 2-years to get their rent account in advance; so that it then always has 5 weeks worth of rent in it following a UC Housing Element payment.
That way when there are 5 Mondays in a UC month then it is all still covered and the Rent account balance never goes below zero.

That is what your council are asking you to do, simply to build up a credit (over time) on your rent account to cover the 5-Mondays that often happen between monthly UC payments being made.

TBH my own HA appears to have now dropped that requirement, at least with me. I pay by Direct Debit* now of 1/12th of a years rent each month - as long as a full years rent is paid April 1st to April 1st then they are not particularly bothered if the rent isn't always there in the account each Monday.

*It's something to consider yourself.
My UC goes into my bank each month and my DD for the rent goes out the same day, I don't have to do anything.
So it's not much different to the DWP paying the council/HA directly.

NedS

h1r3z said:

I'm not entirely surprised to be honest. The whole situation is out of my control and yet I am liable to by way of extra monthly payments to correct a situation that isn't even really a major issue to them (as the rent is caught up every month when the payment goes through) at my own expense despite the full rent already being paid. 

I disagree, the situation is completely within your control. You are responsible for paying your rent, and you are in arrears. UC offer to make UC housing element payments directly to your landlord as a convenience for you, but you are still responsible for ensuring your rent is paid and that you are not in arrears.

If this arrangement is not working for you (as you are in arrears), have the rental element of UC paid to yourself and then set up a weekly direct debit to pay your rent putting you very much in control.

peteuk

NedS said:

h1r3z said:

I'm not entirely surprised to be honest. The whole situation is out of my control and yet I am liable to by way of extra monthly payments to correct a situation that isn't even really a major issue to them (as the rent is caught up every month when the payment goes through) at my own expense despite the full rent already being paid. 

I disagree, the situation is completely within your control. You are responsible for paying your rent, and you are in arrears. UC offer to make UC housing element payments directly to your landlord as a convenience for you, but you are still responsible for ensuring your rent is paid and that you are not in arrears.

If this arrangement is not working for you (as you are in arrears), have the rental element of UC paid to yourself and then set up a weekly direct debit to pay your rent putting you very much in control.

To further back this up, if UC wasn’t paying your full rent you’d be liable for the shortfall.  It’s your responsibility to ensure rent is paid in full, on time.  It’s your contract with the landlord not UCs.