How Do I Find A Home That Accepts Housing Benefit

Diamond78

lil_me wrote: »

If you inform HB it is 1 bedroom and not 2 they may reduce the rent they pay for you and you will be liable for the shortfall.

Guessing you live in an expensive area as HB for a 2 bedroom here is IRO £75 a week max.

The rent in your area is very cheap. Wish it was the same here.

pinkshoes

Just a suggestion, but could you try renting somewhere further afield, but close to London with good public transport links?

i.e. if you rent in Headington (part of Oxford), then you could rent a 1 bed flat for around £600-ish, and there's a direct bus to London every 12 minutes, or the train is only £4 each way (non-peak times) if you book before 6pm the day before.

Obvilously other towns/cities outside of London will have similar public transport links and be cheaper in rent! (Oxford is quite pricey, but still cheaper than London)

msmicawber

I don't know what else to suggest, Diamond. I just kept persisting until I found somewhere each time. In my case, it wasn't the letting agents who were the problem once I provided a guarantor (they'd just been concerned that my income from my job was lower than whatever their calculations say is the minimum required), it was the landlords themselves. One changed her mind, however, once I explained that she wouldn't have to deal with the Council herself, and that I'd just set up a standing order for the rent like any other tenant and get the HB paid directly to me.

Some of it's good old-fashioned bias, some of it is that not all insurers will accept landlords taking tenants in receipt of benefits and some of it is landlords' fear that they'll have to wait to receive their rent or do a lot of form-filling.

Diamond78

pinkshoes wrote: »

Just a suggestion, but could you try renting somewhere further afield, but close to London with good public transport links?

i.e. if you rent in Headington (part of Oxford), then you could rent a 1 bed flat for around £600-ish, and there's a direct bus to London every 12 minutes, or the train is only £4 each way (non-peak times) if you book before 6pm the day before.

Obvilously other towns/cities outside of London will have similar public transport links and be cheaper in rent! (Oxford is quite pricey, but still cheaper than London)

Thank you, I have considered it and have looked into it.But its finding the property and landlord that will accept it. I have looked into essex, kent and close by areas but havent come across any properties on oxford. Im due to start my course in april and really need to be not so far away from where I am. But am going to carry on looking where ever I can.Thanks

Diamond78

msmicawber wrote: »

I don't know what else to suggest, Diamond. I just kept persisting until I found somewhere each time. In my case, it wasn't the letting agents who were the problem once I provided a guarantor (they'd just been concerned that my income from my job was lower than whatever their calculations say is the minimum required), it was the landlords themselves. One changed her mind, however, once I explained that she wouldn't have to deal with the Council herself, and that I'd just set up a standing order for the rent like any other tenant and get the HB paid directly to me.

Some of it's good old-fashioned bias, some of it is that not all insurers will accept landlords taking tenants in receipt of benefits and some of it is landlords' fear that they'll have to wait to receive their rent or do a lot of form-filling.

This is it. My housing benefit has never been late and always paid into my account in advance. I think in the past housing benefit must of taken a while but not with the borough I am in. Its pretty straight forwad. But if a landlord hasnt rented out to a tenant on benefits they will not know and believe that hosuing benefit takes forever to process when it doesnt.

lil_me

Diamond78 wrote: »

The rent in your area is very cheap. Wish it was the same here.

No that's the max they will pay towards it on HB, half decent area like where I live now would cost between £600-£700 PCM and tenants have to make up the rest. Yes that said it is much cheaper than London etc.

Just another one to mention, the Rent Service it seems in December brought certain areas together, this has now changed the reference rent in many areas, it might be worth checking what you would be entitled to before choosing somewhere.