Help! Advice needed!

Milly1974

I hope you don't mind me asking a question, but I am feeling a bit stressed knowing nothing about it.

The story is that I bought a flat in Cornwall, then a year later decided to move in with my boyfriend in Yorkshire. Rather than sell my flat, I have rented it out. Lovely young couple who had their first child about three weeks after moving in. All seemed well, rent was paid on time, no bad reports from the managing agent etc etc.

Now, 6 months on, the couple have split up and young lady is in the process of claiming housing benefit. Managing agent tells me this may take a while and end up being backdated.

My questions are:
- How likely is it that she will be awarded the benefit? The property is a 2 bed at an inexpensive rent. (I'm the sort of landlady who would rather have the place let at an affordable amount than standing empty because I want £x amount.)
- How long might it take to see some money? Let's just say that I am having a run of bad luck and if nothing is sorted by the end of April, things could end up a bit sticky.

Many thanks in advance.

M x

allen35

Hi Milly
I'm sure someone will be along who works for a local authority to shed some light on your problem but when on benefits local authority will pay 4 weeks in arrears and it is pretty consistent as long as the claim is ongoing. Perhaps get your client to send a letter in to the council saying she is being threatened with eviction if rent isn't paid asap and could they treat her claim as an emergency but do this 4 weeks after tenant has claimed jobseekers allowance. if there are any arrears on the rent(due to circumstances) account tell client she can request third party deductions from her benefit to help reduce arrears. You sound like an excellent landlord and wish you well.

Fran

Hi Milly,

Regarding Housing Benefit, if she is now a single parent and receiving Income Support (not working 16 hours or more) then she will be entitled to full Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (if relevant).

It really depends on the local authority how quickly they process the applications and what the current backlog is. The way she could chase this up is if you write a letter as landlady stating that she will have to leave if she doesn't pay the rent by "x" date. This ought to help get it sorted out quicker. Also she could go to Citizens Advice or other Welfare Benefits advisers in the area and they could chase it on her behalf. You could ring the local authority and ask a general question about the current backlog, I don't see why they couldn't give you some idea.

As they have always paid before on time it is probable that she will also sort this out now her situation has changed.

Fran

allen35 wrote: »

Perhaps get your client to send a letter in to the council saying she is being threatened with eviction if rent isn't paid asap

She would need a real letter from the landlady.

.. and could they treat her claim as an emergency but do this 4 weeks after tenant has claimed jobseekers allowance.

As a single parent of a young baby she will be claiming Income Support if not working. Out of interest why do you say after four weeks? In any case it would probably be different for someone on IS with a child.

allen35

Hi Fran

My local authority only pay 4 weeks in arrears. On all occassions we have tried to challenge this we get knowhere but the new rules are coming into force this April i think which i personally think will be a nightmare for most!!!!!!!

PS a mistake IS not JSA but still treated the same for HB/CTB.

Milly1974

Thanks everyone!

I am really not sure if she will be claiming jobseekers as well. I would imagine so, as I know it would be very hard to pay for childcare out of a single person's wages and still have money to live on.

The letting agent did say that the money would in future be 4 weeks in arrears, rather than in advance, but I can handle that as long as it happens fairly soon. I guess I might end up ringing the council in the area.

Fran, I am convinced that in time my tenant will get this sorted out. I met her once and she seemed fairly clued up. I really would like to let her stay and keep the home she has made for her little one. I am just worried that the council will be useless and not help her or me out in time.

Allen, what new rules are coming in?

allen35

Hi Milly
I'm not really clued up but;

New rules for new claimants of housing Benefit are that it will be paid to tenants rather than landlords.
Not sure when it's coming in but i think it's April.
Nightmare scenario for mentally ill and people with addictions.
Realistically can you see someone with an addictive illness paying over money to landlord or saving it till he sees landlord. DON'T THINK SO !!!

By the way Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance are the same pay but for different circumstances and you can't claim both.
With a young child your tenant will claim IS until she returns to work.

Milly1974

Just wanted to provide a quick update.

Council have paid an 'interim' payment to the managing agent and the tenant herself has made a payment to the agent. They have agreed to forward some money to me in the next few days, but they will not get anything more until the 30th April from the council. Seems it is paid monthly in arrears, rather than 4 weekly.

It also seems that they will not be paying her the full amount so she will have to top-up her rent. Aside from the obvious potential that this may not be paid, are there any other issues with this situation?

Thanks to you all for helping me!

Oldernotwiser

You haven't mentioned her claiming CTB. If this is because it's included in the rent, don't forget that she's eligible for a 25% deduction now she's on her own.