advice on rent increase wanted

silvercar

Rent can only be increased within the time of the AST otherwise the rent increase can only be once a year AFAIK. Don't know of a limit to 10%.

One other problem with HB for the landlord is that if for any reason the council overpay a claimant's entitlement then the council make their re-claim on the landlord. For that reason alone I steer clear of HB tenants.

I agree, so insist that tenants collect their HB themselves and pay LL rent as would anyone else.

clutton_2

i spend massess and masses of time sorting out HB tenants payments - HB payments are made 4 weekly in arrears, top-ups are paid calendar month in advance, mortgage payments are either in arrears or in advance depending on the lender - you try working that out. Tenants find it impossible to understand.

Tenants HB is changed quite frequently, seemingly, on a whim, and you then have to find out why, (another hour on the phone listening to music and talking to call centre mis-informed staff) - and whether this is a short term change or a long term change. Many call centre staff refuse to talk to you even tho tenants have signed a Data Protection sheet giving their permission.

I have been an excellent landlady for 8 years now, and i very very sadly have made the decision that i shall take on no more benefit tenants. It is way too time timeconsuming; local authority staff treat you like a slum landlord without even knowing anything about you; tenants on boards like this lump all landlords together as thieving scum; tenants refuse to accept responsibility for their own rents and i'm sick of the whole business.

Give me professionals any day - rent appears every month, no quibble, i get repairs and CORGIs done annualy, and its a joy to manage.

In April landlords now have to provide an Energy Assessment Certificate (part of HIPS legislation) - another £100-£250 to find

I have just had an existing HB rent reduced by £50pcm by an officious new Rent Officer, and i now have to write endless letters to challenge the decision - and i may not be lucky - so like you, i started off this particular tenancy with information from HB that i would get £x per month and with no warning whatsoever, i am now getting £x-£50 per month.

Tenants and landlords are both being shafted by the local housing department - either my tenant pays an additional £50 top-up to pay her rent (*if i am not successful on my appeal) or i have to evict her if she cannot pay as £50 is a significant percentage of my profit and if it were to go any higher i would be subsidising this particular property - and what is the point in that.

This governments heavy handed numerous bits of legislation will mean that tens of thousands of landlords will no longer offer DSS tenancies - and who will suffer because of it ? - you guys will - you will only get the "real" slum landlords staying on in this business. You may be stuck for a home - i can always sell my property or rent to professionals.


The new Local Housing Allowance comes into force nationally in april, and there are still tens of thousands of HB claimants who do not have bank accounts - how will they be able to get their rent ? and how will landlords be paid ?

Its a sorry day

moomin_girl

clutton wrote: »

i spend massess and masses of time sorting out HB tenants payments - HB payments are made 4 weekly in arrears, top-ups are paid calendar month in advance, mortgage payments are either in arrears or in advance depending on the lender - you try working that out. Tenants find it impossible to understand.

Tenants HB is changed quite frequently, seemingly, on a whim, and you then have to find out why, (another hour on the phone listening to music and talking to call centre mis-informed staff) - and whether this is a short term change or a long term change. Many call centre staff refuse to talk to you even tho tenants have signed a Data Protection sheet giving their permission.

I have been an excellent landlady for 8 years now, and i very very sadly have made the decision that i shall take on no more benefit tenants. It is way too time timeconsuming; local authority staff treat you like a slum landlord without even knowing anything about you; tenants on boards like this lump all landlords together as thieving scum; tenants refuse to accept responsibility for their own rents and i'm sick of the whole business.

Give me professionals any day - rent appears every month, no quibble, i get repairs and CORGIs done annualy, and its a joy to manage.

In April landlords now have to provide an Energy Assessment Certificate (part of HIPS legislation) - another £100-£250 to find

I have just had an existing HB rent reduced by £50pcm by an officious new Rent Officer, and i now have to write endless letters to challenge the decision.

This governments heavy handed numerous bits of legislation will mean that tens of thousands of landlords will no longer offer DSS tenancies - and who will suffer because of it ? - you guys will - you will only get the "real" slum landlords staying on in this business. You may be stuck for a home - i can always sell my property or rent to professionals.


The new Local Housing Allowance comes into force nationally in april, and there are still tens of thousands of HB claimants who do not have bank accounts - how will they be able to get their rent ? and how will landlords be paid ?

Its a sorry day

clutton
Thanks so much for your views its allways good to hear other side of the story that is totaly understandable.
I only wish that my landlandy had bothered to try and explain this. We have been modle tenats and have the rent transfered atuomaticaly every month directly from our bank to their's.
I just think why should i not have what i am intitled to.

clutton_2

you say in your original post ""The rent office allready class it as an unfair rent by £50"

A landlord provides a service - a property - and there are market forces at work here. A particular rent will be paid by someone who wants that property at that rent. If its too high a rent a landlord wont get a tenant. There is no such thing as a "Fair Rent" - there is the "market rent" which changes, as the supply and demand of houses and tenants change.

The Rent offices decide how much they assume to be a "local reference rent" by looking in the local papers and seeing what rents are on offer; by asking local landlords how much rent they are charging; by asking local letting agents how much they are letting properties for.

"Fair" does not come into it.

Landlords need a reasonable profit on their investment if they are to continue in the business of providing homes.

You also say "why should i not have what i am intitled to." - i am not sure what you are referring to here .....

PROFESSIONAL_LANDLORD

clutton

The Rent offices decide how much they assume to be a "local reference rent" by looking in the local papers and seeing what rents are on offer; by asking local landlords how much rent they are charging; by asking local letting agents how much they are letting properties for.

"Fair" does not come into it.

Landlords need a reasonable profit on their investment if they are to continue in the business of providing homes.

Around 3 years ago I spoke to a Rent Officer regarding a ridiculously low determination for a property, I put forward a lot of market evidence to support the arguement, as did the tenant but to no avail, the prospective tenant couldn't pay the shortfall and was forced to walk away, the Rent Officer told me " just because property prices go up, it doesn't mean rents go up" I said " hmmm, maybe I should be charging 10/- [50p] a week then for a 2 up and 2 down " like back in the fiftties, he stuck by his guns, a complete waste of space.

PasturesNew

I notice the OP is in Cornwall and unless they are close to the eastern border (Callington, Liskeard, Saltash), this could even be considered to be quite a cheap rent in many areas.

I had a quick look on rightmove and in the whole of Cornwall, looking at long-term houses to rent with 2 bedrooms or more (can't quickly filter to JUST 2), there was:
a) 1 under £550
b) 2 at £550
c) 89 over £550

If you take away "house" and make it "any" accommodation, these figures change to:
a) 6 under £550
b) 7 at £550
c) 139 higher than £550

It is an expensive area because you can get more money renting your property for 1/3rd of the year to tourists than you can renting full-time to locals.

silvercar

I think OP is confusing "fair rent" with the amount HB will pay. It is common (universal in some areas) that tenants have to pay the difference between the HB they receive and the monthly rent themselves.

For tenants receiving the HB themselves they just make sure they pass the full rent onto the landlord. For tenant's whose HB gets paid direct to the landlord, they need to pay the top-up monthly. This does cause confusion and headaches all round.

When a tenant signs for a property they need to ensure that they can afford the top-up if they are relying on HB to pay the rent.

moomin_girl

clutton wrote: »

you say in your original post ""The rent office allready class it as an unfair rent by £50"

A landlord provides a service - a property - and there are market forces at work here. A particular rent will be paid by someone who wants that property at that rent. If its too high a rent a landlord wont get a tenant. There is no such thing as a "Fair Rent" - there is the "market rent" which changes, as the supply and demand of houses and tenants change.

The Rent offices decide how much they assume to be a "local reference rent" by looking in the local papers and seeing what rents are on offer; by asking local landlords how much rent they are charging; by asking local letting agents how much they are letting properties for.

"Fair" does not come into it.

Landlords need a reasonable profit on their investment if they are to continue in the business of providing homes.

You also say "why should i not have what i am intitled to." - i am not sure what you are referring to here .....

i was refering to the housing benifit. i applogise if the term fair rent is wrong i was just going by what was said after the origanal pre tenancy determination.
At the end of the day i will not except the housing benifit if i have to leave current property as i dont whish to uproot my daughter and have to change schools in her first year at primary school.
I seem to have touched a nerve here so i will simply say thanks for the advice and leave it at that clutton.

silvercar

you should claim the HB yourself ,top it up by £50 a month and pay the landlord. You will need to balance the HB arriving 4 weekly in arrears with paying the landlord monthly in advance. If you can manage the cash flow it will mean that your total payment over the year would be £600.